The Train
by ladybrit
Summary: A stage hold up and a train wreck send the Marshal on a manhunt
1. Chapter 1

_I said I wouldn't do it, but those folks from Dodge kept coming back. So here is another story. _

_I am just borrowing these characters for fun, not profit._

**The Train**

Chapter 1

After all the events surrounding Eli Rathbone, everything was back to normal. I was back at work with no ill effects at all. Andy McIntyre had stayed on for a couple of extra weeks to help with the trail hands from the spring cattle drives, and then he had left for another temporary assignment in another town.

Spring worked its way towards summer, and I had taken to making early morning rides out onto the prairie. The big buckskin had grown fat and a little lazy from being turned out to pasture for almost four months and it was time to get him back in working shape. Some mornings Kitty would ride out with me, those were rides I would remember.

This morning I was alone. I had galloped the horse up over the rise and then came to a walk down the other side towards the trail headed east back towards Dodge. Pushing the buckskin to a jog, I start along the road.

"Marshal Dillon! Marshal Dillon!" That is coming from behind me. I turn my horse to see who is calling me. Fred Willis's boy, from the relay station, probably about fourteen years old now, is riding an old sorrel mare as fast as the poor animal can go.

"Easy there," I call out "what's the problem?"

"Marshal, the stage was held up. There were about four men. They shot the driver and my Pa. They were both hurt pretty bad, but still alive when I left. Not sure what the men were looking for. There was no gold on that stage. Pa told me to come into Dodge and get help."

"Is the stage at the station?"

"Yes I just unhitched the team, and turned them out in the corral."

"Alright I'll take care of it."

I'm glad I've been working this horse. This will be an opportunity to try him out.

"You just go on into Dodge and wait for me. Give that mare of yours a chance to get her breath. No sense in winding her."

I dug my heels into the flanks of the Buckskin and urged him forward. Even so it was going to take me about an hour to get to the relay station. He could not keep up this pace all the way.

It takes just over an hour to reach my destination. The horse is still a little slow.

When I get there I find Joe Platt, the driver, in a bad way. He is bleeding from a bullet wound in his right side. I did what I could for him. Fred Willis, who runs the relay station, has a bullet in his left shoulder. He tells me he saw four or five men attacking the stage. He thought he hit one of them but he was not sure.

There are three passengers from the stage, all unharmed. The gentleman introduces himself as Juno Burr; he is dressed like he came from back east somewhere. One of the ladies he introduces as his wife, the other as his sister.

Having fixed Joe up as best I can, I go out and looked at the stage. It had been a long time since I had driven a team of six, but it is the quickest way to get everybody back to Dodge, and from there the stage company can handle things.

I go out to the corral and look at the six horses there. The two biggest ones are probably the wheelers, they are the most important horses, the ones hitched closest to the stage. The smallest ones would be the leaders – those in front and the others in the middle. Joe is in no condition to advise me, and poor old Fred is not in a good state of mind. I am not planning to run them fast anyway. That wouldn't be good for Joe, or for the buckskin that would be running behind.

I get work gloves from my saddlebag and hitch up the horses. Then I get Joe and lay him across one of the seats inside the stage. Fred would have to ride up on the box with me. I tell the passengers to board. Meantime I unsaddle the Buckskin, offer him some water, and tie him to the back of the stage. I throw my rig into the luggage compartment and checking everyone is safely inside I climb

up onto the box.

Picking up the reins, I thread them between my fingers, release the brake and urge the horses forward. These animals are used to running full speed, I need to keep them at a slower pace.

It is exhilarating to feel the power of the six horses under my control. I would like to let them run.

Less than two hours later we pull up in front of the stage depot in Dodge. I could see Doc and Chester sitting in front the jail. The astounded look on their faces, when they see me driving, is worth all the effort.

I set the brake, secure the reins and climb down from the box.

"You got yourself a new job?" yelled Doc

"No Doc but you've got a couple of new customers."

I get some cowboys to get Joe up to Doc's office. Fred can make it on his own.

I hand the stage over to the depot clerk, untie the Buckskin, and take my saddle and head towards the office.

Chester follows me "Can I take yer horse fer you Mr. Dillon"

"Sure thanks, I worked him fairly hard so walk him a bit and have Carl give him some grain later."

"Sure thing Mr. Dillon."

As I enter the office, the youngster who met me on the trail comes running across the street.

"Your Pa's gone up to Doc's," I tell him. "He'll be fine. Come and tell me what happened today."

"There were four of 'em, Marshal, they tried to stop the stage before it got to the station, but Joe didn't pull up so they gave chase. They shot Joe, but he made it to the station and Pa started shooting at 'em till they hit him. Then they had all the passengers get out and they searched the stage from top to bottom. Seems they didn't find what they were looking for. Eventually they just took off. I think Pa wounded one of them because he seemed to be moving slower than the rest."

"Did you hear any names or see their faces."

"No Marshal. I don't believe they said anything, and they had their faces covered."

He left the office and I sit down to go over the morning's mail. Then I start to write a report of the morning's events, including the possibility that the man who ran the relay station wounded one of the outlaws.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I have just finished with the report when Doc walks in. He was all exited about something.

"Come on Matt, we're going down to the train depot. I've got a surprise for you."

"How are the two men I sent you?" I ask him. "Fred Willis is fine, he's already to go home. Joe will be laid up for a few days, but he'll recover."

We get to the depot and Kitty is there,

"What's going on?" I ask her.

"I don't know, Doc just said to be here to meet the noon train."

Doc looked at his watch, time passed slowly. Sometimes the train was a little late, but by now it was 30 minutes overdue. The stationmaster said it had left the previous station on time.

Finally doc tells me.

"Kevin is supposed to be on that train. He's going out to San Francisco, to a new medical school out there. He was asked to give a lecture on some heart drug he's developed. Said he was going to stop off here for a couple of days on the way."

"If it doesn't arrive in the next half hour I'll ride out and see what's happened."

The train doesn't arrive so I take Chester and head to the livery. I'll need to borrow a horse as the Buckskin will be tired after his morning work out and I don't need him to colic on me.

We head out going east along the rail lines.

About an hours ride from Dodge we see the chaos. The engine is off the tracks, two of the cars are lying cross wise and one is on its side. There are people milling round, confused and dazed. Smoke is rising from various parts of the train.

We get off the horses and walk towards the scene. People are screaming, sobbing and some just sitting staring into space. I walk through the chaos of twisted metal and splintered wood, but see no sign of Kevin.

The last carriage is still standing upright on the tracks. I walk through, smelling the smoke and burning debris from the engine. Still no Kevin, but my eye catches something I recognize on the luggage rack. Two black medical bags, I get them down from the rack and open the larger of the two. I see all the rows of vials. I open the second bag; there is that stethoscope I am all too familiar with. Definitely it belongs to the man who saved my life but still no sign of him. Walking back to the baggage car I find the conductor, and another man dressed in the kind of suit that is out of place here on the prairie.

"Any idea what happened."

"Looks like someone blew out part of the line to derail the train," the conductor answers. "They came on board looking for gold but we weren't carrying any. They got angry and left taking a couple of hostages with them."

The man in the fancy suit is scared.

"It wasn't supposed to happen like this," he says

"Who are you and what do you mean," I ask him.

"My name is Ab Taylor, I work for Pinkerton's."

At this point Chester makes it back to the baggage car.

"What you want me to do Mr. Dillon?"

"We need to get these people some help and get them back to Dodge. They can't stay out here all night. You ride back and get Doc and as many people with wagons as you can. Tell the station master in Dodge what's happened so he can stop any other trains from coming down this line, and hurry. Oh wait," I go back to the other carriage and get Kevin's medical bags. "Take these to Doc so he can keep them safe."

"What are you going to do Mr. Dillon?"

"I'm going to see if I can find their tracks and follow them."

I turn to the conductor. "You need to take a few men and go back down the line and set up some kind of signal to stop any other train that may be headed this way."

"Before you go tell me about the hostages they took." From his description one was a banker and the other one was Kevin.

Then I turn to the Pinkerton man.  
>"Now suppose you tell me what was not supposed to happen and hurry."<p>

"There have been a whole string of holdups and raids. Several of the stage and railway companies hired us to track them down. We found there is a new gang who moved in to the area about six months ago. They seem to get inside information on where and when stuff is being shipped. We thought if we put some false information out there we could set a trap and catch not only the gang that's doing this, but their information source as well. We had several agents on the train, but they got hurt and one got taken hostage. We didn't think they'd blow up the line like this."

"Did you not think about all the innocent people getting sucked into your plan? If anything happens to those hostages I am holding you responsible. I have to leave now. You need to start organizing these passengers so that when Doc arrives he can tend to the seriously injured and the rest can be taken to Dodge in the wagons. How long ago did they leave?"

"About two hours or so."

"Anyone notice how many of them and which way they went?"

"There were four of them and a wagon, they headed north east."

The Marshal turns on his heel. He gets on his horse and rides along the north side of the track looking for tracks. Finally he picks up the trail. He figures he has about four hours of daylight left that should get him close enough. They would be traveling slower with the wagon.

He pushes the horse he's riding as hard as he can and still keep their trail in his sight. The afternoon sun is hot and the air heavy. From time to time he has to slow the animal, not being sure how much he has left in him.

Eventually he comes up over a rise and sees a dust cloud a mile or so ahead of him. He heads east a little, to circle their flank, staying far enough away so as not to be seen. He can make out three men on horseback, one driving the wagon, and two men in the back. At this distance he can't determine if one of them is Kevin.

He just plans to follow them for a while. Eventually they will stop and make camp for the night, then he can figure out what needs to be done.

As dusk falls, he watches the group slow down and eventually make camp for the night. They obviously feel safe. They light a fire and start fixing supper. Matt watches as they unsaddle their horses and unhitch the wagon. The two hostages appear to be tied in the back of the wagon.

He gets off his horse, and ties him to some brush, then works his way closer to the campsite. He stops and takes up a position in an outcrop of brush about ten yards from the men he is watching. He lies there and waits.

He watches one of the men go get the hostages from the wagon and bring them over closer to the fire. He sees Kevin and the other man. Both look in good shape, but have their hands tied.

He continues to wait. The men fix some food and eat. He is hoping that at least two of them plan to sleep.

Watching, waiting, he resists the temptation to move and relieve the cramp in his leg. He just needs to be patient, an opportunity will come.

The men start to settle. Two obviously plan to sleep and leave two on watch, just like he had hoped. Unfortunately they keep the hostages near the centre of the group.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Meantime Chester returns to Dodge. He stops at the train depot and tells the station master what has happened. That way, stations down the line can be notified and further catastrophe avoided. Pushing his horse faster he makes his way to Doc's office. He ties the animal to the rail, grabs the medical bags and runs stiff legged up the stairs.

"Doc you gotta come quick. There's been a train wreck, lots of people hurt. Mr. Dillon has gone after the men that did it. Looks like they took a couple of hostages and Dr. O'Malley was one of them."

"Here," he hands the two medical bags to the Doctor, "Mr. Dillon said to bring these to you."

Doc starts to gather some supplies. "Go to the livery Chester and get them to get my buggy ready and bring it here for me."

"I'll do it Doc. Mr. Dillon also told me to get some men to bring wagons out there to get the passengers back to Dodge. If we hurry we should be able to get most of those folks back before dark."

Chester takes off to the livery and tells Carl what is needed. Then he goes to the Long Branch. Rushing in through the doors he yells out. "Any of you men with wagons. There's been a train wreck about twenty miles east of Dodge. We need to get the folks back here before dark." Several of the men get up and make their way out to the street. A couple of others volunteer to go up front street to the other bars and spread the word. Chester heads back towards Doc's office to help him get all the stuff he needs down to the buggy. Coming down the steps from the office he sees several wagons heading up Front Street already on their way out of town.

Kitty comes up to the elderly physician. "Is there anything I can do Doc?"

"Well now, when all those people get into town we are going to need some place to put them. Maybe you could start making some arrangements for that"

"Sure thing Doc I can handle that." Then she turns to Chester.

"Is Matt still back at the wreck?" She asks him.

"Well.. er no Miss Kitty."

Kitty had not heard the whole story yet. He figured he would have to tell her.

"Seems like them outlaws blew up part of the track to stop the train because they thought there was gold being carried on it. When they didn't find any, they took a couple of hostages. One of them was Dr. O'Malley. Mr. Dillon took off after them."

"By himself?" she asks incredulously. "How many men were there."

"Maybe four or five."

"And you let him go"

"Well now Miss Kitty, yer know there ain't nothin' I could do to stop him."

" No .. I know, I'm sorry Chester. I just worry about him."

"Kitty, we have to leave now, you get started organizing room for all these people and we'll be back as soon as we can."

Doc felt bad about leaving her alone. It was only a few weeks since she had thought Matt was going to die from poisoning. Now she would have to deal with a whole new set of fears. Right now he didn't have much choice.

Chester and Doc make their way out to the wreck. Chester on horseback and Doc in his buggy.

As they get closer they could see smoke rising to the sky, closer still and they could hear people and smell the smoke.

When they arrive it looks like some kind of order had been re-instated. One man came running up to Doc.

"You the Doctor?"

"We moved most of the injured into the one car left standing, and some into the baggage car. There are a few we didn't like to move, I'll take you to them."

Doc goes off to check on the injured, Chester sees that people are already being loaded onto wagons and taken back towards Dodge. On the whole it was very orderly. Families with children were the first to leave; several of the men had volunteered to stay and help or to let others take their place on the wagons.

Doc went to see the more seriously injured first. There were a couple of men with broken legs, and one young woman with some kind of back injury. One man was already dead from a chest wound, probably due to some flying debris. If he had been here sooner he might have been able to save him.

Doc stabilizes the broken limbs and got a make-shift stretcher for the woman with the back injury. Then he gets Chester to bring one of the wagons over and supervises loading the patients. He goes to check on the rest of the injured. Most have broken bones, cuts and bruises or minor head injuries.

One by one he gets them fixed up enough to make the journey back to Dodge. All the time in the back of his mind there is a fear for what could be happening to Matt and Kevin.

Dusk was starting to fall. By now most of the folks had been loaded on to wagons and carried towards Dodge. The folks from Dodge had definitely pulled together to get that accomplished. Several had made at least two trips to the train.

Back in town Kitty had arranged cots and blankets in the Long Branch and some in the meeting room at the Dodge House. She also figured they could use the jail if needs be. Some local people had agreed to take a few of the families with small children. When the passengers started arriving she and several other girls from the saloon help them to get settled. The women of Dodge had prepared food which the passengers where grateful for. It was amazing how the whole town had worked together to take care of these strangers.

In the brief moments when she was not working or organizing Kitty was thinking of what was happening to Matt.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The Marshal is still watching the outlaws. Eventually two of them get ready to sleep. They tie their prisoners to a tree and then settle themselves by the fire. The other two take off in separate directions around the perimeter of the camp. This will be his chance.

He waits, as one of the men gets close. This has to be quiet, no noise to alert the others. He hates to slug a man on the back of the head, but it is the only way. The outlaw passes his hiding place by a few feet. Matt rises to his feet and raises his gun in one movement, bringing the weapon down on the man's head. He catches him before he hits the ground. He gets a rope from one of the saddles, secures the man and gags him with his own bandana. He should be quiet for a half hour or so. The other guard is on the far side of the camp. He works his way around and manages to immobilize him in a similar way. He sees where the horses are tied, and very quietly saddles two of them.

The other men are sleeping near the fire. Matt could not bring himself to shoot even an outlaw like that. He works his way over to where Kevin and the other hostage are. He wants to get their attention without having them call out. He takes his knife from his pocket, and works around towards them. Finally he touches Kevin on the arm and puts a finger to his lips. He cuts both the men lose.

The outlaws are still sleeping soundly.

"Matt it's good to see you," whispers Kevin.

"Never mind that now. There are a couple of horses on the line back there with saddles on. Take them and head south. Hurry now, here take this, he hands Kevin a gun he took from one of the outlaws, now go." Kevin stands looking at him, but the other man pulls his sleeve, "come on lets get outta here."

The sleeping men are stirring, one pulls a gun.

"Hold it mister" Dillon yells at him, drawing his gun, but there are two of them and they are not close enough together to cover both. Matt fires at the first hitting him, but the second gets off a shot before he can adjust his aim. He feels it in his right arm. Not bad just a graze probably. He manages to get a second shot off, but is not sure if it does any damage. Now even worse he hears other horses approaching. He turns to see Kevin still hesitating. "I said GO," he yells.

Now there are voices coming from fairly close by. "What's all the shooting Johnny, you OK there?"

He sees the forms of several men approaching through the darkness.

Looking round he is glad to see that the second hostage has persuaded Kevin to leave. That's a relief, now he does not have to worry about them. They just need to keep riding. He can catch them up.

There are at least five other men coming towards the camp. Possibly he could get one or two of them, but no way to get them all. The lawman in him wants to stay and arrest these men and take them back to Dodge, but even he knows that would most likely prove unsuccessful on account of their number. His main concern is to see that the two men he released make it back safely. He can always return and track the outlaws later.

He withdraws back into the stand of scrub he was hiding in and then runs to retrieve his horse from the brush where he had left him.

He urges the horse on, quietly at a walk at first to get clear of the campsite. He hears a lot of voices coming from behind him now. They are looking around trying to figure out what happened. They apparently find the guards he had tied up. When clear of the area, he urges the horse into a trot. It does not take long for him to catch up with the other two men.

The outlaws did not seem interested in following them. As daylight begins to take hold in the eastern sky, Matt encourages the other two men to travel faster. Kevin has a little trouble keeping up. He is not used to covering any long distance by horseback. The other man surprises the Marshal, even though he is dressed like a city dweller, he seems very comfortable on a horse.

After riding fairly fast for an hour or so, they pass a small outcrop of rock. Matt calls for the party to stop for a while to rest the horses. He dismounts and loosens the cinch on his horse and does the same for Kevin's. The other man seems to know what to do.

He passes round a canteen. It is the only refreshment he has.

"About another hour or so to Dodge," he tells his companions. They are all tired at this point. No sign of being followed so maybe they can slow down a little. He is leading them in a southwesterly direction, so as to make the return journey shorter.

Matt wants to know who the other hostage is, but he doesn't say much. After ten minutes rest they are back in the saddle and heading for Dodge.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Morning comes to Dodge and many of the train passengers arrange to continue their journey by stagecoach. Some were planning to come to Dodge or close by anyway. By noon most of the uninjured passengers have found places to stay or have moved on towards their various destinations and gradually Dodge settles back towards into its regular routine.

Of course it won't be long before the train crews start arriving to take care of the wreck. They will probably be setting up a camp out at the site, but with Dodge being only about an hours ride away, the workmen are bound to find their way into town to sample the beer, whisky and other enjoyments that the saloons had to offer.

Kitty was helping Clem and Sam get the Long Branch ready to reopen. The cots and blankets that the passengers from the train had needed last night were cleared away. The floor was swept and the tables put back in place. She kept going to the doors, looking up front street, looking to see if Matt was riding in.

During the past few delightful weeks before he had started back at work again, she had grown used to having him around much of the time. When they had first returned from Baltimore he had spent many hours a day in her room, resting, reading or playing checkers with Chester or Doc. Then, as his strength began to return, they had taken to going fishing or borrowing a buggy from Moss Grimmick, and simply ridding out onto the prairie to picnic in some quiet place he knew. Best of all, every night he was there, waiting for her.

This was the first time since then that he had been gone, and she would have to get used to these feelings of fear all over again, get used to sharing a lonely bed with the worry of what could be happening to this man who had taken her heart. She had half-way hoped he would give up his badge after that scare, but then again she knew deep down that there was no way Matt Dillon could give up being a law man. It was just a part of him, this man she loved.

She checked Front Street several more times before she saw three men on horseback entering the town. Thank heavens he's all right. A wave of relief overtakes her.

They stop outside the Marshal's office. Chester appears as they dismount.

"Good to see you back Mr. Dillon," he says, then reaches his hand out to Kevin.

" Glad to see you finally made it here Dr. O'Malley."

"Nice to see you again Chester." They enter the jailhouse. O'Malley looks around and realizes he had never seen inside this domain of the Marshal. The sparse but very functional furnishings reflected the quiet, strong personality of the man he had come to know so well.

Chester introduces himself to the other man, who gives his name as Dan Kilburn.

Then he looks to O'Malley.

"I brought yer doctor bags back from the train and gave them to Doc to look after. If you had any other luggage it's probably down at the train depot. The company brought all the bags they got off the train back to the depot earlier this morning. I'll take you down there if you like."

"Good idea, let's do that. I'll see you later Matt."

Matt gets the man known as Kilburn to sit at the small table in the centre of the office.

He sits astride the other chair and looks at him.

"Now Kilburn why don't you tell me what's going on?"

"I work for Pinkerton's," the man says, reaching in his pocket and taking out his papers to show the Marshal. "We were hired by the railroad company and by the stage line to track down a gang that has been carrying out too many robberies. It's a gang new to this area, Marshal. Kyle Dorsey is the leader. We are trying to track him down."

"So who's idea was it to plant false information about gold shipments?"

"I don't know that. I only know that there were five of us on that train, we were armed and supposed to find Dorsey and kill or take him in when he showed up. They did not attack the train like we thought they would. Instead they derailed it. One of our men was killed, he was in the front car, two others were badly injured. That left me and Ab Taylor. When the outlaws came on board we didn't even see Dorsey, so we did nothing."

"Who is your boss? Pinkerton is a private agency and has no right endangering innocent peoples lives like this."

"I'm only doing my job Marshal, I just follow orders."

"Who do you get those orders from?"

"I can't tell you that."

Matt is disgusted with the whole deal. He decides to go up to doc's office and see how the injured passengers are doing.

"I am going to find out one way or another," he promises

With that he gets his hat and heads up to Doc's office.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Doc has five of the injured at his office. He tells Matt he also had a few lesser injuries, a young boy with a broken arm and a young lady with a sprained ankle. He had treated them and let them go. These people had more serious injuries and would be here for a while.

He sees the blood stain on the Marshal's shirtsleeve.

"Looks like I need to take care of that," he says.

"It's only a graze," replies Matt, but rolls his sleeve up anyway.

Doc agrees with him, but decides it needs a stitch or two.

"I'll go on and fix it before everyone notices." Says Doc. Matt knows who he means by 'everyone.'

It only takes the doctor a short time to clean and stitch the graze to his satisfaction. He applies a bandage.

"Should be fine Matt, I'll take those stitches out in about ten days."

"How many people died in that wreck Doc?"

"I counted three," he says. "All of them were in that first carriage. I think they are up at Percy Crump's if you want to go see."

"What about these men here?" I ask.

"Two with broken legs, one has a head injury, one with some broken ribs and the other has some bad abdominal injuries – honestly I don't know if he will make it. There's also a young lady with a back injury, can't tell how she's going to do just yet."

"Two of these men work for Pinkertons, do you know who they are?"

"No but you can talk to them if you need to."

I find that one of the men with a broken leg is from Pinkertons, I don't get much out of him. The other must be the one with abdominal injuries, he does not respond to me at all.

"Matt you probably need to go get a clean shirt, before Kitty sees that bloodstain."

"Yes you're right."

Just as I am about to leave Kevin comes bounding up the stairs. He opens the door and looks around.

"Galen, it is so good to see you." They grasp hands

He turns to me. "Didn't have time to talk much on the ride back. Matt. I must say you look a lot better than last time I saw you."

"Thanks Kevin, I feel a lot better too. How about we all get together this evening?"

"That'll be fine."

"Do they have you a room at the Dodge House?"

"Yes I think so."

"Good, I have to go, see you later."

I return to the office, clean up some, change my shirt and then head over to the Long Branch.

I don't see Kitty. Clem indicates with a nod of his head that she is in the stock room. I knock on the door and enter. I put my arms around her.

"I'm glad you're back," she tells me. Should I tell her now that I have to go off again tomorrow to try to track the Dorsey gang? I decide we will enjoy this evening first.

"I think Doc and Kevin will be here in a while."

"It'll be good to see him again, Matt. How did he survive that ordeal?"

"Oh he did fine," I said; guess I never gave much thought to it.

"And how about you Matt? I'm guessing you didn't get any sleep last night."

"Not much, but I'm fine." I reach down to kiss her mouth.

She smiles at me. "No time now cowboy. We need to be out there to meet our guests."

Reluctantly I turn her lose. We go back to the saloon in time to see Doc and Kevin coming through the doors. Kevin has obviously made time to wash up and change clothes.

Kitty goes up and gives him a hug.

"It's so good to see you Kevin." They all sit at the table in the back. It's not long before Chester joins them and Kitty gets Clem to bring drinks.

Matt sits back and watches this man who had saved his life. He knows him as an excellent, caring physician. He did not get to know him as the character he really is. He watches as the man is so at ease, leading the conversation, giving a very lively account of his adventures as a hostage and how the great Marshal from Dodge had ridden in at the last minute. Then his manner changes to a more serious one. "I really owe you for that Matt, no one can guess what would have happened if you hadn't come and got us out of there."

"Oh," said Matt somewhat bashfully, "its all part of the job. Now why don't we go over to Delmonicos and get something to eat?"

Later they had finished eating and sit at the table enjoying coffee. Matt announced he was going to make his rounds. He looked at Kitty, "I'll stop by the Long Branch later." She smiled at him. Kevin rose to leave too. "I didn't get a lot of sleep last night either, so I think I will turn in." Pleasantries exchanged, the two men head for the door

Kevin catches up with Matt. "I hate to ask you this, but it is in the interest of scientific study. Would you do me a favor and let me listen to your heart before I leave? You can say no if you want, I know how you feel about all that stuff."

"I certainly can't refuse you, can I? I'm planning to leave town early in the morning and I'm not sure how long I will be gone. Guess I can come with you to the Dodge House now.

"I appreciate that. You know the drug I am supposed to be lecturing on at Tolands, in San Francisco, is the one I used on you when your heart stopped beating, there in the courtroom. Of course I will not be recording that detail."

Matt laughs and pats him on the back.

Chester catches up with them. "Do you want me to make rounds for you Mr. Dillon? I know that after your ride an' all, you probably want to turn in."

"That would be good, meet me back at the office after you've done."

I follow Kevin up to his room. He has obviously retrieved his bags from Doc's.

"Sit on the bed, it won't take me a minute."

"You want me to take my shirt off?"

"If you don't mind."

Kevin gets out his stethoscope and looks at where Matt's broken ribs are now healed. He gets Matt to hold his breath and listens to his heart and then to his lungs. He gets him to lie down and repeats the process.

"How long you been back at work now?"

"About a month or so."

"Any problems?"

"No, I feel fine, just like all that never happened."

"That's just great. Thanks for letting me check up on you."

"Don't mention it," the Marshal says retrieving his shirt. "I was lucky to have you around. I have to head out in the morning. Gotta see if I can track those men down. They are part of a gang that's been causing a lot of problems. You may be gone before I'm back so I will wish you a more peaceful trip the rest of the way, and please come back to Dodge anytime. I think Doc enjoys your company."

"I had already decided to stay a few days and help him with all those patients he has up there, I'm not sure how long before the railroad starts running again, but the station master down at the depot said they should have something figured out within the week. I don't think it would be pleasant to travel all that way by stage so I plan to wait around."

Matt heads back to the office. He really needs to take someone with him tomorrow but he should leave Chester here to mind Dodge. All those railroad men will be coming into town. He sees Dan Kilburn up ahead, entering the lady Gay saloon. Having watched the man as they rode back to Dodge he realized he was a capable horseman and probably was reasonably good with a gun.

He follows him in to the saloon

"Evening Kilburn."

"Oh hi Marshall."

"Mind if I join you?"

They find a small table back in a corner

"Where's your friend Ab Taylor?"

"We're not really friends, Marshal, we just work for the same company. I think he left town by stage this morning."

"What are you planning to do?"

"Don't know yet, I just hung around today to catch up on some sleep."

"I've got a proposition for you. I plan to head out in the morning and see if I can track those men. As we were leaving their camp last night another group of men rode up. Probably more of the gang you are after. What I am asking you is, do you want to ride out with me? After all we both have the same end in mind. I think two of us together would have a better chance than either by ourselves."

"I'll give it some thought."

"Well if you decide to come, be outside my office early in the morning, ready to leave."

The Marshal heads over to the jail. Chester is just returning from making rounds.

"Chester, I plan to leave out of here in the morning and see if I can track those outlaws down to where they are hiding out. I need you to stay here and take care of things for me."

"You goin' off by yerself agin Mr. Dillon?"

"I've asked that Pinkerton man, Kilburn, to come with me."

"Listen Chester I hope to be back in about a week. The men coming to work on the railroad will be here any day so if you think you need help, wire the sheriff in Hays. If I wait around too long Dorsey and his men will move on and the opportunity will be lost."

I hand him the report I wrote yesterday, "This needs to be sent off, and this," I hand him a note I have written "needs to be wired to the attorney generals office. I want to let them know what's happening."

"I'll take care of it, Mr. Dillon. You want me to get your horse ready in the morning?"

"Thanks, that would be good. Lock up here for me if you would."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

I head to the Long Branch. I know Kitty will not be happy when I tell her what I plan to do. Taking the back stairs two at a time, I reach her rooms. I knock quietly on the door,

"Come in Matt," she calls.

Removing my hat and putting it on the peg, I take her in my arms. I know I am going to have to tell her I will be leaving tomorrow and probably be gone for a week or more. The past few weeks, when we were able to spend so much time together, make it even harder to do.

"Come sit down Matt, I have some good brandy here for a nightcap."

We sit side by side on the couch and enjoy the fine, golden-brown wine, swirling it in Kitty's elegant brandy snifters.

"Kitty I have to tell you something." I hesitate a little, staring into my glass.

She turns to look at me. I see fear in her eyes.

"What is it Matt, you're not sick or something."

I know the last few months took a toll on her, not knowing if I was ever going to recover from that poison.

"No" I laugh, "nothing like that. I have to go out of town for a few days, probably about a week."

"Oh Matt! What is it this time?"

"It's connected with that stage hold up and the train wreck. Apparently there's a new gang of outlaws moved into the area, led by a man called Kyle Dorsey. They need to be stopped before they do any more harm."

"Where are they?"

"I'm not sure. I was going to go back to the campsite they had the other night and see if I could track them from there."

"I hope you're not going alone."

"No, I think one of those Pinkerton men will come with me."

"Matt why do you have to do this? Are there no other lawmen around?"

"You know I can't do that, Kitty. This is my territory and it is my responsibility to track down those criminals. It's part of my job and I can't just ignore it, can I?"

"I guess not. Please be careful Matt."

"You know I will. I have you to come back to, don't I?"

I take her in my arms again, feeling her holding tightly to me. I hate to hurt her like this, but somehow I cannot find a way to resolve the conflict of my two passions. The woman I love and the badge I wear.

Kitty woke early, still feeling the warmth from the afterglow of their lovemaking. She huddled closer to her man, hoping he would stay, but knowing that, any minute now, he would be off somewhere out there, chasing outlaws across the prairie. She could not, nor would she try to, stop him. It was a part of this man, a part so deep, so integral that to change it would change him.

She smiled to herself savoring these last few moments, trying to keep them safe inside her until his return.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The sun had been up about an hour when the Marshal arrived at his office. There was coffee on the stove, so Chester had been there. He was probably down at the livery getting the buckskin tacked up and ready. Matt had his saddlebag there on the table and was gathering supplies for the trail. Nothing fancy, just basics like beef jerky, some beans and coffee.

It wasn't long before he heard Chester arrive. He filled his canteen and put it with the other stuff he was planning to take. He took a rifle down from the rack and loaded it, putting some spare slugs in his pocket.

Chester gave him a telegram from Hays. Apparently they had found the fifth outlaw from the stage holdup, the one who had been hit by a shot from Fred Willis at the relay station. They had him in jail, but he hadn't said anything to lead them to Dorsey.

He also told me that he had sent the telegram to my boss at the Attorney Generals office. That was good; at least someone would know what I was planning to do.

I mounted up and was just about to head off down Front Street, thinking that Kilburn had decided not to join me, when I hear another horse approaching, it is the Pinkerton man, but I hardly recognize him. Gone is the suit and city shoes he was wearing on the train, now he looks more like a cowboy even down to the gun he has on his hip. He is riding the same horse we took from the outlaws yesterday. I knew there was more to this man than he had let on.

"Morning Kilburn." I said

"Marshal," he acknowledged

We rode out of Dodge together, and set a brisk pace heading towards the campsite of the other night.

It took us a little over three hours to get there. We left the horses tied some way off, not wanting to disturb any tracks we might find.

Circling the site we find many hoof prints and tracks left by the wagon, leading in a northeasterly direction. As long as the weather stays good – no rain or high wind – we should be able to follow easily.

We stop to eat and make some coffee. I know hardly anything about this man that necessity has teamed me with.

"So Kilburn, where you from?" I ask him.

"Lots o' places I guess. Most recently from around St. Louis."

"How come you joined up with Pinkertons?"

"Just a job."

"What did you do before that?"

"Nothing' special, odd jobs, worked cattle for a time down Texas way."

"You know how to handle that gun?"

"Pretty fair, had a little practice from time to time. What about you Marshal, how long have you been in Dodge?"

"Coming up seven years."

"You know that man that was with us the other night?"

"Yeh I do."

"He some kind of a city boy? Doesn't look like he comes from Dodge."

"He's a good man, Kilburn. He saved my life, I owe him. C'mon lets get moving."

Matt is never comfortable talking about himself, especially when he feels that he is being questioned. There is more to this man than he is telling.

They extinguished the fire, and then Kilburn had to re saddle his horse saying that he thought the animal had a sore spot under the saddle blanket. It seemed to take him a long time. Finally satisfied he mounted and they took off again.

They continued to follow the trail left by the gang for almost two more days. Kilburn seemed to take every opportunity to slow their progress. They were heading towards Salina or maybe Topeka. "Looks like they are heading back towards Missouri, Marshal."

Slowing to a walk to give the horses chance to get their breath, the Marshal tries again to get information from his companion.

"Tell me more about this gang, Kilburn, and how come I have never heard of them before this."

"I have been tracking them since St. Louis about a year ago. They are known to have held up at least three banks there. We watched them head west and cross into Kansas. Then they started getting bolder, holding up stages and then trains. They seemed to know when the big shipments were coming through. It was about that time that we were approached to investigate."

"It would be best if we could catch up with them before they leave Kansas. Why would they be heading back to Missouri?"

"Not sure. The last bank heist they pulled got them a lot of cash as well as gold. Neither ever showed up. The cash is probably gone by now but it is possible the gold bars are hidden somewhere."

"Well there's not much in the way of habitation around these parts. Just a couple of small settlements and a few poor dirt farmers."

"I was hoping to find where they planned to hole up. I thought maybe they had a cabin or something along the way, might have the gold hidden out there until things quiet down."

"I can't understand why they took you and Kevin along as hostages."

"Me neither. I think it was a spur of the moment thing. They were angry that there was nothing on the train. I think maybe they thought it was part of a trap and hostages would be their ticket out. They never tried following us the other night."

"I noticed that too. You know I have never even seen a wanted poster on this Kyle Dorsey."

Kilburn fumbles in a pocket and pulls out a crumpled piece of paper. The wanted man's face and name are there with a thousand dollar reward, dead or alive. Issued by the sheriff in St. Louis.

I guess this never made it to Kansas.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Doc is checking on his patients. The two men with broken legs are doing fine. The casts he had put on them were not causing any problems. The men were ready to move on when the trains started running again. The man with the head injury was still a little confused, and would stay another day or two. The passenger with all the abdominal injuries had died during the night. Doc always felt bad when he lost a patient but knew there really had been nothing he could do for him except to try to keep him comfortable.

That left the man with the broken ribs he had bandaged and sent on his way. The young woman with the back injury remained unchanged.

He had just finished making rounds on his "hospital" patients when the door opened and Kevin walked in, one medical bag in each hand.

"Morning Galen, I thought I'd come and give you a hand."

"You're a bit late here, but I have a couple of patients to see out in the country if you'd like to come."

"What about these folks?"

"Kitty and Ma Smalley are going to keep an eye on them while I am gone."

"That would be fine then – as long as I don't have to ride a horse!"

Kevin had to admit he was still sore from the long ride back into Dodge.

Adams smiled as he removed his spectacles.

"Little too much exercise for ya, huh?" he chuckled.

Doc leaves some written instructions regarding his patients, and the two men head towards the livery. Moss already has the buggy rigged up and ready to go. With black bags stowed neatly under the seat, they head out.

Neither call was far from town, and in about an hour and a half they were headed back.

"Galen" says O'Malley tentatively, " I ..er listened to Matt's heart yesterday evening."  
>"Oh" replies Adams, noncommittally, "I'm surprised he let you do that."<p>

"You cleared him to return to work right?"

"Aha"

" I could still hear that murmur, not as loud or distinct, but still there."

A pause before Adams replied.

"Kevin, you are a great scientist and a great physician. You definitely saved his life. Matt is doing fine, no symptoms whatsoever. If I had told him he could not return to work, that alone would probably kill him. I talked with Kitty, not telling her I could still detect any abnormality, but just asking her opinion on how he was doing. Even she agreed he was back to normal."

"So are you going to follow up on it?"

"I can hardly expect him to let me do that without telling him why. I figure for some reason or another he'll finish up in my office again before too long, and then I'll have an excuse to check."

The younger physician looks troubled.

"Look Kevin," he continues I know this doesn't seem right to you, but sometimes you have to temper the science of medicine with a little of the art. I'm thinking there may be a little permanent damage but it is not enough to cause him a problem so let it be. I have no medicine to fix it anyway so why give him cause to worry about it?"

Kevin is quiet for a while, and then he says,

"I trust your judgment, Galen. You've been doing this longer than I have. We'll just have to wait and see."

"When I've checked on my patients in Dodge I'll buy you a drink.

Doc urges the horse on a little faster.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The Marshal and the Pinkerton man camped by a small grove of trees. Matt reckoned they were about an hour or so behind the outlaws. He still had no idea where they were headed. If they held their present course they would pass between Salina and Wichita. Somehow he felt uneasy, occasionally he felt like there was somebody following them. He never saw anything to confirm his suspicions. It was just that feeling, like the feeling that Kilburn was not being totally honest with him.

His plan would be to catch up with the gang as soon as they could but Kilburn wanted to watch and follow to see if they would lead him to the gold.

Next morning they got within a mile or so of the outlaws. Watching them from a distance they counted ten of them, seven on horseback, one driving and two in the back of the wagon.

According to Fred Willis and his son, four of them had attempted to hold up the stage, and one of those was now in jail in Hays. No one had a clear account of how many were at the train hold up, though he himself had counted four at the campsite, and then another group of four or five who had ridden up. Dorsey could have been among that group, unless of course they were riding to meet up with others.

They continued to follow the Dorsey gang at a distance. Just after noon the trail they were following turned slightly east and after about five miles the Marshal and the Pinkerton man could see smoke rising in the distance. A little further and they could see a dilapidated shack. Two men came out to greet the others. Several of them took the horses to a barn behind the building.

"Okay what now?" asks Kilburn.

"Let's watch and wait, patience pays off sometimes."

"Yeh? There are at least twelve of them. Not too good odds."

"Maybe we'll get a chance to improve them."

They watched and waited, eventually two men left the shack and headed to the barn.

"You stay here and cover me if necessary, I'm gonna work my way down there and see if I can shorten the odds a little."

Matt circled around the shack, staying hidden and ending up behind the barn. Working his way round the side of the barn he managed to see inside through a gap in the boards. There are only two of them in there, feeding and watering the animals. He can easily take them both. He edges his way towards the door. Looking through the gap he sees that both of them have their backs towards him. He slides through the door.

"Hands up both of you. Easy now drop your weapons, that's good, now turn around slowly." He takes a rope off of one of the saddles and hands it to the man closest to him.

"Now tie him up, and do a good job, I'm watching you." He reaches for a second rope and ties the other man himself. He sees that this man is little more than a boy, probably no more than eighteen or nineteen. He digs in their pockets and finds a couple of bandanas with which he gags both the men. He checks their bonds and secures them each to separate poles of the barn.

He turns back towards the door, planning to make his way towards the house.

He hears laughing and loud talking coming from inside.

Making his way back around the side of the barn, he sees Kilburn coming towards him. He goes back to join him.

"That leaves about ten of them in the house. If you cover the back I'll go round the front."

Just then the front door opens and a man appears.

"That's Dorsey," whispers Kilburn,

"Hey Johnny, what's taking you so long?" the man calls out.

Matt has a good view of the man. He is fairly tall, maybe six foot, clean-shaven, looks to be around thirty years of age. He walks with a confident step towards the barn carrying a rifle in one hand.

The marshal watches as Dorsey starts to open the door. Quickly he is behind him, his gun pushing into the outlaws back.

"Drop the rifle," he says. As the man obeys, he reaches round and takes his gun. "No noise now."

"Who are you?" asks Dorsey.

"Matt Dillon, US Marshal from Dodge city. Now get on in there."

At that instant gunfire erupts from the house, and Kilburn is firing back.

Dorsey spins around and tries to land a punch at Dillon's jaw; Matt successfully blocks the punch, and prepares to land one of his own. Suddenly he feels a bullet in his left leg, just above the knee, no graze this one. As he is falling to the ground Dorsey lands a hefty kick to recently healed ribs. Matt sees stars. Dorsey recovers his rifle from where it fell.

Meantime Kilburn is still firing and has managed to take three of the outlaws out of the fight.

Matt recovers his senses enough to reach for his gun, but Dorsey is even faster, and the marshal sees the shotgun pointed straight at him. No possibility of a miss at this range.

"Dorsey you know you're going to hang for this."

"Yes Marshal but you wont be around to see it." He smiles as he raises the rifle to fire. The smile stays on his face as another shot rings out and the outlaw pitches forward to the ground.

Next thing Matt realizes is that Kilburn is trying to drag him into the barn. He sees some blood on the man's face from a ricochet.

"Who's firing out there?"

"A few of my friends Marshal, I'll explain in a minute. Here let me tie this round your leg to slow the bleeding." He pulls a bandana from his pocket and fashions a tourniquet.

"I'll be back in a minute."

He disappears outside. Eventually the gunfire ceases.

Matt manages to get to his feet and looks through the half opened barn door.

He sees Kilburn and three other men rounding up the remaining outlaws. There are four dead, including Dorsey. Two who are still tied up in the barn and six others, a couple of them have gun shot wounds.

"Kilburn get over here and tell me what's going on."

"Yes Marshal," he approaches and helps Dillon towards the house. "Lets find a place for you to be comfortable and I'll explain."

He helps Matt into the house, finding a large chair by the fireplace he sits him in it and gets another to prop his leg on.

"You want some coffee?" he asks.

"No, I want to know what's going on."

Kilburn hesitates a moment.

"Marshal, I do work for Pinkertons but that is only part of the story. I am - or was, a Texas Ranger. This gang actually started in Texas, about two years ago. They became famous for robbing banks, businesses, and running several other rackets on the side. We came real close to catching up with them at one point, and then they hightailed it out of state and finished up in St. Louis. Of course I had no jurisdiction there. In order to stay on their tail I quit the Ranger Service and managed to get a job with Pinkertons. That gave me a freer hand. I had been tracking them when they crossed into Kansas. Yes Pinkertons did set up some false information to lure them out – that was not my idea. They had figured out that Dorsey was getting inside information from somewhere. Anyway, when you asked me if I wanted to come along with you it seemed a gift of a chance. You know the countryside and had jurisdiction here. That evening I wired my friends out there, and told them to hurry to catch up and follow us. I thought once or twice out there on the trail you had suspicions that someone was following. I had to slow us down some to give them time to catch up."

All the time he was talking the Ranger was moving around. He put more wood on the stove and found the necessities to make some coffee. He brings the Marshal a cup.

"Here drink this down."

"You know Kilburn I don't like being duped like that. How come you didn't tell me what was going on to start with?"

"I didn't know anything about you, Marshal. A badge doesn't necessarily make a man honest. The only people I trusted are those Rangers out there. At one time there were more of us, but three have got themselves killed chasing this gang. Those men were my friends Marshal and I vowed I would get Dorsey. Guess I begun to believe that anything was fair in pursuing him."

"I'm gonna go see what's happening outside, then I'll be back and take a look at your leg."

I lean back in the chair and close my eyes. My ribs are throbbing.

Dan Kilburn goes outside to check on the prisoners. Three he recognizes as having taken part in the train holdup. The others he doesn't know. The Rangers have them all secured, and are digging graves for the dead.

They are all fine for the moment. He returns to the house.

Releasing the tourniquet he takes a look at the wound in Matt's leg. "It's gonna take a doctor to get that bullet out." he says. "Where should we head from here?"

"Wichita is the closest town," replies the Marshal, "they have a good size jail and a doctor. I figure about fifty or sixty miles, should take us about four hours."

Kilburn is already looking round the shack, searching cupboards and closets. He finds two empty money sacs from a bank in St. Louis. Nothing else.

"You think you can ride that far?"

"I'd like to say yes, but I doubt it. I think I have a couple of broken ribs."

"Let me look."

He undoes Matt's shirt and sees the big purple bruise developing.

I'll go see if I can find something to wrap those for you.

There is a bed in the back of the shack with a couple of dirty blankets and a sheet. The sheet is none to clean, but better than nothing, he tears some strips off of it and heads back to the Marshal.

"Here," he says, "just lean forward and hold your shirt up, I'll do the best I can, I know it'll hurt a bit."

Matt grits his teeth and groans as Kilburn tightens the bandage,

"That should hold it till we get to Wichita. I guess I'll have the boys hitch up the wagon and you can ride in the back."

By the time they set off it is already late in the afternoon.

Kilburn ties his and Matt's horses to the back of the wagon, and then decides to take Dorsey's horse as well. The saddles and several rifles are also thrown in the back. The eight prisoners are placed two by two with one of the rangers in front and two behind. The wagon runs along side, with Kilburn driving. This strange procession heads off.

Matt feels every bump in the road; he passes out a couple of times for a few minutes, when the worst of the pain hits.

When they get to Wichita it is already getting dark.

He directs Kilburn to the courthouse.

"Go in there and see if you can find Marshal Patterson," he says. The courthouse is closed but the Marshals office next door has a light on. Kilburn finds the man. "Marshal Dillon from Dodge is outside with some prisoners, he says. They are members of the Dorsey Gang, the ones responsible for holding up that train just outside of Dodge City about a week ago."

Patterson follows him back out. He sees the men with their hands tied.

"I'll need to get a couple of deputies to handle that many."

He sees Dillon in the wagon.

"Looks like you need to go to Doctor Wilkins office. What are the charges against these men?"

Matt is sitting up, propped against the side of the wagon.

"I can identify three of them as having held up the train just outside Dodge about a week ago. Three passengers were killed and several injured. The others were probably involved in a stage hold up, all of them are wanted in Missouri for bank raids."

"This man here," he indicates Kilburn, "works for Pinkertons, he can tell you more. These other men are friends of his who came to help out." Matt does not mention the Texas Rangers, they are not always held in high regard by lawmen from outside that state.

Kilburn hands over the wanted poster to the Wichita Marshal. "Dorsey got killed in a gunfight when the marshal tried to arrest him."

"Alright, we'll get them in cells for tonight and sort this out tomorrow. I'll need to send off some wires to confirm all this."

Kilburn turns to Patterson,

"They are also wanted in Texas Marshal, I'll tell you who you need to wire for that information."

"I'll take the Marshal Dillon here, down to the doctor's office and then come back and help you identify all of them. I've been trailing them for a while now."

"His office is a bit further down on this side of the street," Patterson tells him "but I imagine Dr. Wilkins is playing poker in the saloon. I'll send a deputy to get him."

Kilburn climbs back up onto the wagon and drives it up the street until he sees Doctor Wilkins office.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

After a few minutes a man in a gamblers jacket comes running towards them.

"Hi there!" he says to Kilburn, "I'm Edgar Wilkins."

"Dan Kilburn."

"Marshal," he turns a puzzled look towards Matt, "I didn't expect to see you again so soon."

He unlocks the door then comes back to the wagon to help Kilburn get Matt into the office.

"Here let's get him on the table."

Matt grimaces as the movement jars his ribs.

"Where are you hurt Matt?"

The marshal raises his hand to his painful ribs.

"Let's get your shirt off so I can see." He gets Kilburn to help him

as he removes the bandage.

"Get that gun belt off him, would you?" he asks Kilburn.

Carefully he explores the ribs with his fingers. "Yes I think at least two are broken. Looks like the same ones as last time. Lie down here so I can look at your leg."

"Doctor, I need to go take those horses to the livery and then go back and help Marshal Patterson with the prisoners. Do you need me any more?"

"No I'll be okay, but ask the Marshal to send one of his men to get Mrs. Sykes for me. He'll understand."

"Sure thing, I'll see you later Matt."

The door closes.

Wilkins cuts some of the blood soaked fabric from Dillon's leg and looks at the wound. Then he goes over to the stove and puts some water on to heat.

"It's going to take a bit of work to get that bullet out Matt," he says.

He is busy getting instruments from a drawer and setting them in a bowl. Then he gets his very distinctive stethoscope from the medical bag sitting on his desk, and makes his way back to the Marshal.

"Let me listen here a minute." Eventually he removes the instrument from his ears.

"That's good enough, I don't think you lost too much blood.

"Fancy some coffee, Matt?"

"Not right now thanks. Sorry I broke up your poker game."

"Oh that's no problem. Lady Luck wasn't with me tonight anyway."

He watches as Wilkins puts the coffee pot on the stove.

"Isn't it kind of strange? I mean the town doctor playing poker in the local saloon"

Wilkins laughs. "Not at all, how do you think I afford to equip this place? I like to have the latest of everything, and the money I get from doctoring in this town isn't going to buy it."

"I thought you inherited the practice from an uncle."

"I did but he never made any money. His office was in an old shack at the end of town, and I think most of the instruments he owned were ones he inherited when the horse doctor died. I bought this surgery, and equipped it myself. I used to sleep in that little back room there, but I like to sleep in my own bed every night so when a small cottage on the street behind here came up for sale I bought it. Then I got the telegraph company to rig up a line between there and the surgery, so I can leave a nurse here at night. If necessary, she can send a signal to me if I'm needed. All that takes money Marshal."

He goes over to the stove and fills a coffee cup.

"When did you start playing poker as a means to support your medical practice?"

"I've always been fascinated by the cards, Matt. When I was a kid I would sit for hours, shuffling cards and dealing to imaginary players. I found a few books on how to play poker and read them again and again. I heard stories about Gamblers on the riverboats riding the Mississippi. I knew that was what I wanted to do. But as you know life sometimes gets in the way of our dreams."

"If you enjoy playing cards so much, why do you stay here, there are bigger games in other towns?"

He thinks a minute

"I'm guessing it's like you. You take on a job; find you have the skills to do it better than most. People come to depend on you and somehow, before you know it, you can't leave and let them down."

The door opens and a matronly woman of indeterminate age walks in. Her hair is tied back in a bun. Her clothes are very no nonsense, a dark skirt and light colored blouse coming well up to her neck. She starts to roll up her sleeves the minute she walks in the door.

"Good evening Mrs. Sykes, thanks for coming. This is Marshal Dillon from Dodge city."

She nods towards the man on the table.

"Matt this is my nurse, Mrs. Emily Sykes."

"Ma'am." Matt acknowledges.

"What do you want me to do Doctor?" she asks.

"You can get those instruments ready for me." He indicates those he had placed in a bowl, "and then prepare a mask and chloroform."

Calmly and efficiently she sets about her task.

The doctor finishes his coffee and comes over to Matt.

"Let's get these boots off of you," he says removing the right one. Any movement of Matt's injured leg causes pain and Dillon holds his breath in preparation for the left one.

"Oh I'll just wait till I've got you under to get that one off, it'll be easier on you."

"Do you have to give me that stuff? It makes my head feel so bad for days."

"I'm sorry about that, but if you want me to get that bullet out I don't see any other way. Laudanum is not going to control the pain well enough and I can't work safely with you squirming all over the table." He is very matter of fact in his assessment, no emotional ties here. Not like with Doc back in Dodge.

"Where do you want this, Doctor?"

"Thanks Mrs. Sykes, just bring the cart over here."

Matt sees a small metal cart on wheels, with a clean white cloth covering the top. A set of medical instruments and a mask with a bottle of chloroform, are all neatly arranged on the cloth. He wants to object, but realizes that it's not going to do him any good.

"Cut around that pant leg for me so I can see what I'm doing," Wilkins instructs his assistant.

Once again he takes his stethoscope and places it on Dillon's chest. After listening for a minute or two he nods to the nurse. She picks up the gauze-lined mask, Matt starts to object but she looks at him, just raising her eyebrows slightly. He knows he has no choice.

"Okay go ahead," says Wilkins

She drips the liquid onto the gauze  
>" Just breathe deeply, Matt."<p>

He listens. After just a few breaths his patient is out.

"That'll do Mrs. Sykes. Now hold his leg so I can get this boot off."

Having done that he asks her to clean the surgical area while he goes off to wash his hands.

Retuning to his patient he picks up a scalpel and cuts carefully into the wound to get better access. He probes for the bullet and eventually finds it lodged right next to the thighbone.

It is not easy to get to, and it takes him a good twenty minutes before he is finally able to grasp it with the forceps. As he starts to pull the bullet back out, his patient gasps and starts to move. He nods to his assistant who places the mask back over their patient's nose and mouth. The doctor puts his stethoscope in his ears again and listens to the big man's breathing as she applies a few more drops of the anaesthetic. It doesn't take but a few seconds before he is satisfied that his patient is suitably asleep once more.

"That should do Mrs. Sykes."

He resumes his work, finally managing to remove the slug and stitch the wound back together. Then he cleans it with some evil smelling liquid.

"Dress that for me please," he instructs her.

He goes to wash his hands once more.

When he returns Matt is waking up. "Just lie still there for a minute, we're going to have to strap those ribs for you."

He reaches down below the head of the table, pulls out a handle and winds. Matt is amazed, he is almost sitting up with no effort at all.

"Doc needs one of these," he says in a slightly slurred voice.

"Yes, I got this table about six months ago. It has all the latest gadgets built in. I spent a whole week at the Faro table earning enough money for it."

"Okay Mrs. Sykes grab a couple of those wide bandages from the drawer over there. I'll hold him up, you know what to do. I'm sorry it's going to hurt a bit Matt, no other way."

Matt grunts as Wilkins sits him up the rest of the way and holds him in position while the good woman does her work. She is fast and efficient. Despite his grunts and groans, she does not pause and has the job finished quickly. Wilkins lets him lie back.

"We'll get you to a bed for the night, that way you can sleep some."

The back room, that used to be his living space, has been converted to hold four cots. Each is separated from the other by a small partition and in one corner there is a desk and chair.

Wilkins sits at the desk and begins to write some instructions for Mrs. Sykes.

Dillon hears them talking, but cannot make out the words.

He falls into a half sleep until he is wakened by the Doctor. He has a stretcher on wheels, which he has pulled up next to the exam table.

"Let's slide you over here," he says.

Matt sees how amazingly easy it is to transfer to one of the beds in the back room with this device. Maybe Doc should take up gambling.

Wilkins sees his friend studying the stretcher. "They have them all over the place back East. I had a good night at poker and bought this one."

"I'm going to be gone for a couple of hours. You know where to find me Mrs. Sykes, I'll check with you before I go home."

He gets his vest and jacket from the peg.

"Edgar, if you see Kilburn, tell him I need to talk to him."

"I will, but not tonight you don't. The morning will be soon enough."

He leaves.

"All right Marshal, lets get you situated here." Mrs. Sykes busies herself arranging pillows and getting enough blankets to cover the Marshal. Then she disappears to the front of the office for a while to return with a tray with several bottles and a small drinking glass. She sets it on the desk, takes a thermometer from the tray an approaches the Marshal.

"Put this in your mouth."

"But..," he gets no further. "Doctor wants me to check your vital signs every two hours. You can either put this in your mouth or I will check your temperature like I would a baby's."

He looks at her and knows she would do that.

Obediently he opens his mouth. She takes out a small pocket watch and reaches for his wrist. Eventually she completes her task and enters her findings on a sheet of paper. She then proceeds to measure out a dose of laudanum and brings it to him in a small glass. He is going to object but knows it would be pointless, so obeys without question. She gives him a small glass of water to get rid of the taste.

"That's better. You just lie there quietly." She dims the lamp on the wall by his bed.

"I'll be here so if you need anything just call me." She goes to sit at the desk and starts to read a book she had brought with her.

Dillon watches her for a while, but the drug soon takes over and he sleeps.

He is aware of her checking on him from time to time, but the Laudanum dulls his senses enough that he does not fully wake up.

It is pain that finally wakes him. His ribs and his leg are both throbbing. He thinks he sees the first hint of light coming through the window. He tries to move and gasps as he remembers not to move his leg.  
>Mrs. Sykes comes into view,<p>

"I thought you'd be waking up soon. Let me check you." She puts that thermometer in his mouth again, checks his pulse and lifts the blanket to check the dressing on his leg.

"You're a little fevered," she says.

She leaves for a few minutes and comes back with a bowl of cool water and a cloth.

"I've buzzed Dr. Wilkins, he'll be here shortly."

She proceeds to dab at his face and neck with the cool cloth. It feels good.

It is not long before Edgar arrives. No jacket or vest this time, just a crumpled shirt with rolled up sleeves.

"What's going on?" he asks

Mrs. Sykes shows him the records she has been keeping. They talk a while, then he hands her some money. "Here I earned your pay last night. Go home, get some sleep and come back this afternoon."

"Thank you doctor," she says, "I'll see you later Marshal."

After she leaves, he looks at me. "Quite a character isn't she?"

"She can sure put the fear in a man."

He laughs. "I had a man the Marshal brought in a while back, He had got himself shot while the lawmen were arresting him. Big mean man he was. One night with Mrs. Sykes looking after him and he begged me to send him back to the jail."

"I can believe that."

"She knows what she's doing though, worked in a field hospital during the war. I couldn't ask for better help."

"You go play poker to pay her?"

"Yes, it's a good arrangement, I can earn more at the poker table than I pay her."

"If you always win, how come you can still find folks in town who'll play against you"

"We get a fair number of strangers passing through, and no, I don't always win. I just do well on average."  
>"Let's see what's going on with you. Mrs. Sykes said you were running a fever."<p>

He gets his stethoscope and listens for several minutes. I can tell something is troubling him but he doesn't say anything.

I close my eyes trying to shut out the pain.

He leaves for a moment and comes back with two glasses of liquid.

"I'm sorry, neither of these taste good, but just go on and take them. It'll help your pain and hopefully the fever."

I swallow without protest, and he gets me some water to wash them down.

He pulls up a chair and picks up the cloth Mrs. Sykes was using and rinses it out. He starts to lay it on my face and chest. I feel my eyes getting heavy and return to sleep as pain fades away.

Next time I wake it is full daylight. I think I am alone, but as soon as I move Wilkins is there. He feels my forehead and my wrist.

"That's better," he says.

I look around. "Nice set up you have. Don't remember seeing it last time I was here."

"No I only got it finished about three weeks ago. Had to wait until I got my new house livable. Even that isn't finished yet. I'm waiting for some high rollers to come to town."

"Did you see Kilburn last night?"

"Yes he's coming over in a while, I have to go and make a few house calls out of town. Mrs. Sykes will come over later. She'll bring you some lunch and get that dressing changed. If you feel like it we'll get you up, but you can't put any weight on that leg for a week or so. I'll see if I can find you some crutches from somewhere."

"Do you want me to wire your friends in Dodge and let them know you'll be here a while?"

"That would be good, but you know if you send a wire everyone will know Dodge is without its Marshal and all the no-goods for miles around will take advantage."

"Oh I can manage to avoid that."

"How?"

"I can make sure Adams is the only one that knows what it says."

I look puzzled and he laughs.

"All doctors have a working knowledge of Latin. I doubt anyone in Dodge other than Galen will be able to read it. I am not that great at the language myself, but can manage. He won't have any problem understanding it."

"Just remember I don't want to get Kitty worried."

"Sure. Now let's see if we can get you up."

It takes a little effort, but eventually Matt is sitting at the desk with his leg propped up on a stool.

"Here have some coffee while I write this telegram."

It is not long before Dan Kilburn arrives at the door.

"Hello Matt. I hear you wanted to talk to me."

Wilkins acknowledges the Pinkerton man and then leaves to go send the telegram and make his rounds.

"How is Marshal Patterson doing with the men we brought back?"

"He got a lot of information on them from St. Louis. Still waiting on my boss in Texas though."

"You told me you thought there was an insider working with them."

"Yes, and I still do. Most of the robberies they knew about were Federal Shipments. Too many for coincidence."

"Ask the Marshal to be quiet about the arrests. I have been thinking. We need to plant one more piece of false information. If Dorsey was holed up in that shack, there were only a number of ways his contact could communicate with him. He either had to send a wire to Salina or Wichita, or send a rider out to the shack. I figure if we can keep our eyes on those we have a good chance of finding out where his information is coming from."

"You know, I think that has a chance of working. I'll talk with the others and see what we can set up. We can always leave someone out at the shack, and with help from the local sheriff we can intercept a wire. I'll go and see about getting things set up. Are you going to be okay if I leave you by yourself?"

"Sure, Wilkins arranged for someone to come over until he gets back. Go on and see what you can set up."

Wilkins left and Matt finds himself alone. He watches out the window for a while, then folds his arms on the table and lays his head down.

That is how Mrs. Sykes finds him a little later. She feels his forehead and checks his pulse.

"Well you seem fine today, she tells him. I brought you some stew and biscuits, and if you eat that there is some apple pie."

The food is good. Matt realizes it's been several days since he had a meal other than trail rations. Maybe Mrs. Sykes is not so bad after all.

Once he's finished, she decides it is time to get him back to the bed.

"Doctor left instructions for me to change that dressing," she tells him.

The woman is strong and has no difficulty helping him across the room.

She brings the small cart from yesterday to the bedside. It has everything she needs for the task. Dillon has to admit Mrs. Sykes knows what she is doing. Smoothly and efficiently she has the dressing changed. The only pain he felt was when she poured some liquid directly on the wound.

"I know it burns," she tells him, "but it will stop it from getting infected." She checks his temperature and pulse and records them. Then gets a small glass of laudanum." Just a half dose," she says. Doctor wanted you to get some rest.

Matt didn't mind too much, his ribs were painful and there wasn't much else to do right now. Hopefully the Pinkerton man would return and tell him how things were working out.

It was later that evening before he woke. Wilkins was sitting at the desk with some food spread out in front of him. "Want some supper Matt? I just had some sent over. Dan Kilburn was here a little while ago – he said he would come back later."

He comes over to the bed and helps me up.

"Here I got these for you," he produces a pair of crutches, "I have adjusted them. I hope they are tall enough for you."

"How many hands did you have to play for these?" I ask him.

He laughs, "I got them from one of the patients I went to visit. He broke a leg about a year ago and I got him the crutches then."

It takes a while to get moving, but finally I sit at the table and see he has got a couple of steaks and some beans.

"Are you planning to take the train back to Dodge?" he asks.

"No, my horse is here, so I'll ride."

"How long does that take?"

"About seven or eight hours."

"In that case you better wait a few more days. Don't want you to bust that wound open."

Kilburn returned later that evening. He had put Dillon's plan into action. Two of the men had ridden out to the shack, and one was on his way to Salina to check on the telegraph there. Meantime Marshall Patterson had heard from the Rangers in Texas. All the men they had brought in were wanted for various crimes mostly connected with robberies and hold ups, and one for murder.

After Kilburn leaves, Edgar says he is going to go play a few hands.

"I still have a lot of work to get done on my house," he explains.

I'll be fine by myself tonight," Matt tells him, "I could probably go get a room at the hotel."

"No stay here. I'd take you over to the house but I only have one bed there. Here I'll show you the buzzer I've rigged up – just in case you need anything during the night." He demonstrates how to wind the handle and push the key. "That's all there is to it. I can be here in less than five minutes. Anyway I'll stop by and check on you on my way home."

The following afternoon Kilburn returns.

"I think we have a bite Marshal," he says. "Yesterday morning we put out information on a federal shipment going by stage from St. Louis to Colorado. A wire came in to the telegraph office in Salina at about noon today with details of the shipment. The Marshal's Service have been very helpful at getting us access to whatever we need to track this down. The wire was sent from Washington. Now all we have to do is find who sent it. I think the Marshals are going to take the case over now, but we got things started. Pinkertons will give me a bonus for this. I feel bad that all you get is a bullet in your leg and a couple of busted ribs."

I laugh, "That's how it works with my job, you get the badge but not much else. I'm happy for you Dan. What are you planning to do now?"

"Not sure Matt. Probably head back to Texas and get my old job back."

"How about riding back to Dodge with me? I'm going to need a little help on the trail"

"Sure thing. When do you think the Doc will turn you loose?"

"Probably another day or so."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Back in Dodge, Doc had received the telegram from Wilkins. Barney was curious about its content. He brought it up to Doc's office.

"Hope I got it right for you Doc. I couldn't understand it too well."

"Oh yes it's just fine thank you."

"Kinda important huh?"

"You could say that."

"What kinda words is those."

Doc takes his glasses off and looks at the telegraph man.

"It's something personal, it will not affect you in any way so you can go back to your machines and not worry about it any more."

Barney tries one more time, "Err.. no reply?

"No reply now, I'll see you later."

Doc chuckles to himself. Barney is used to getting all the scandal in town from the telegraph. He can't stand not knowing what is in this telegram.

Adams sits at his desk and reads the wire again. It takes him a few minutes to figure out what the young doctor is trying to tell him.

They did not have Marshals as such in ancient Rome, so he guessed Praetor, the closest thing to a law enforcement officer, meant Matt, the broken ribs were easy to understand. The lead (plumbum) above the knee took him a while to figure out, but since they did not have guns or bullets in those times he figured Matt had busted some ribs and got a bullet in his leg. Edgar had also added that his friend was fine and would probably be coming home in about a week.

Doc wrote one word on a piece of paper "Teneo" meaning I understand, and took it down to the telegraph with instructions to send it as an answer. Folding it neatly he handed it to Barney.

"Here's my reply," he says dropping a coin on the counter. Just send it when you have time.

That should cause the telegraph man even more consternation.

He goes by the Long Branch, not sure how to break the news to Kitty. He knows she has been worried about the Marshal. He is unsure whether this information will make her feel better or not.

He sees Chester coming towards him.

"Hey Chester, come on over to the Long Branch, I've got some news for you."

Kitty is behind the bar, chatting to two cowboys. Doc catches her eye.

"Can we use your office a minute?"

She looks at him trying to read his face.

"What's going on?" she asks. "It's Matt isn't it?" Now he sees fear in her eyes.

"Yes. But it's not too bad."

When the door is closed he tells them he has just received a telegram from Dr. Wilkins in Wichita.

"Is Matt hurt?" she asks.

"Now Kitty, Matt is fine. Apparently he got a bullet in his leg, but he's going to be all right and should be home in a week. Edgar sent me a telegram to let us know."

"Did he say anything else?"

Doc halfway laughs. "No he barely managed to say that. Guess Matt told him not to let Barney know what was going on, so he wrote it in Latin. Don't you worry now Kitty, Matt'll be back in no time."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Matt practices walking with crutches. It is somewhat painful because of the broken ribs; on the other hand if he's going to make it to Dodge he's got to get moving around. Edgar brings him a new pair of pants to replace the ones that got cut up. Here get these on and we'll go get some lunch.

As quiet and reserved as Dillon usually is, Wilkins is just the opposite. People come up and shake his hand or pat him on the back, he's quite happy to talk with anyone who wants to start a conversation.

It takes them a while to make it the short distance to the small restaurant. They find a quiet table in a corner.

"You're doing pretty well on those things now, I guess you'll be wanting to get back to Dodge soon."

"It would be good. I hate leaving Chester alone for too long, especially with the railway men that are there to work on the wreck. Kilburn said he'll ride with me and we can do it over two days to make it easier."

"Sounds a good idea to me. When do you want to leave?"

"How about tomorrow?"

"A little soon, wait a couple more days."

"Tell me what brought you back to Wichita so soon, I would have thought you saw enough of the place last time."

The Marshal recounts the train hold up and how the Dorsey gang took O'Malley and Kilburn. He touches briefly on tracking the outlaws and locating their hideout.

"How is that Irishman, and what was he doing coming to Dodge?"

"He was traveling to give a lecture somewhere out in San Francisco. Some new medical school I think he said."

"Very smart man that, I would have liked to have had the chance to talk to him some more."

They finish their meal and head back to the surgery.

"I'd recommend you take a rest for a while, then tonight I'll show you how to play poker."

"I don't play poker, Edger, too risky for a law man."

"Well you can come and watch me. There are a couple of likely looking card players in town."

We stopped by the mercantile so I could get a new shirt. The one I was wearing was too full of trail dirt.

Kilburn came by later in the afternoon, I told him I thought we should be ready to leave in a couple of days.

The evening turned out to be interesting. I sat towards the back of the Ace of Diamonds saloon. It wasn't long before a game started up. Edgar leaves me talking to a man by the name of Bob Reed. He is the only veterinary doctor for miles around and came to town after checking on some horses for a rancher about 10 miles south of here.

I watch the Doctor as he eases his way into a game. The first couple of hands don't go too well for him, but as the stakes get higher his luck starts to turn. I watch as one by one the players drop out. Finally there is Wilkins and one other man left in the game. I see the pile of money on the table growing. I think it is probably more than I earn in a year. Gradually people start to gather round and watch. My friend looks right at ease, not a movement gives away any anxiety he might be feeling. The other man shows a little more nervousness, though I doubt most people would notice. I am just used to watching people for a reaction. Edgar raises the bet for the final time. The man is thinking, I see him move slightly in his seat and twist his leg. He fiddles with a long cigar he is smoking. He's trying to figure his chances. The Doctor gives nothing away. To stay in the game the stranger has to put up a large sum of money. I am thinking from his attitude that he is thinking he has a fairly good hand. There is almost total silence in the room. It's up to the stranger now, will he fold or place his bet to match Edgar's.

I even find myself getting tense. I think my doctor friend is the most relaxed person in the room. I am not sure how he does it. That's a big stack of money on the table and some of it came from his pocket. Nonetheless if he gets to win the pot, he can probably finish his house with all the comforts he has in mind.

The stranger reaches in his pocket and pulls out a wad of notes and counts out enough to cover the bet made by Edgar. He lays his cards on the table. He has a pair of kings and a pair of tens. Not a bad hand.

Kevin leans forward to reveal his hand. He lays down an eight, followed by a second and then a third, three of a kind. He gathers up his winnings, then pushes back his chair and stands up.

"I thank you gentlemen for an enjoyable evening," he says.

"You're not going to give me a chance to win it back?" asks the stranger.

"I'm afraid not. I have something else I need to attend to tonight."

He straightens out the notes he has won and places them in a billfold. He heads towards me.

"Another satisfactory night's work," he says looking at the veterinary doctor and me. "Bob, I need to take this man home, he needs to get some sleep."

"I'll walk down that way with you, I'm heading back to the hotel."

Edgar reaches in the corner and hands me the crutches.

"Come on, let's go."

He sees I am having a little difficulty getting up from the chair and casually helps me.

We get out onto the street,

" That got a little tense there at times," I tell him

"Not really, I was pretty sure that I had the better hand, just didn't want to raise the bet enough to scare him off, I needed that last addition to the pot to finish my house. I've also got my eye on a couple more pieces of equipment for my surgery."

I laugh to myself.

We say goodnight to Bob Reed, and Edgar unlocks his office door.

He has a small safe in the wall behind one of his medicine cabinets. He takes out his winnings, counts it, puts it in the safe and replaces the cabinet.  
>A good evenings work," he comments." I think I'll just sleep over here tonight."<p>

"You don't have to, I'll be fine."

"I'll stay anyway. I need to keep an eye on my winnings."

Next morning we are both wake early. He checks the dressing on my leg and seems pleased enough to suggest we go get breakfast.

We hardly finish before a young man comes looking for him because his wife has gone into labor.

Left to myself, I make my way across the street to the Marshal's office. It is about three times the size of mine back in Dodge.

I find Patterson in a small back room.

"Come in sit down I have some news for you. They found the man in Washington that sent that wire to Salina. He is just a young clerk though, probably not the brains behind the scheme. Sadly we have no other leads. They have questioned him pretty thoroughly, but he seems to have no knowledge of the person he answers to. He is just a young country boy who came to the city, got into debt and this is how he is paying it off. He knows nothing of the Dorsey Gang. I'm beginning to think that they are also just pawns in a bigger game."

"You maybe right. I wonder what's going on."

He brings some coffee, and we sit and talk for a while.

It's not long before Kilburn shows up. Patterson brings him up to date on the case.

I need to go down to the livery and check on my horse. Kilburn says he'll walk with me. We plan to leave in two days time and head back to Dodge.

Those two days pass slowly, I am anxious to return home. The railway workers are likely to begin work and that means they'll be headed for Dodge City's nightlife. I hate to leave Chester alone to deal with that.

Wilkins continues to see patients by day and look for poker games at night. He tells me he doesn't always play. He waits till some likely looking gamblers show up.

"No sense in playing with a bunch of cowboys who have no money," he explains.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Kilburn brought the horses up to Wilkins office. I pack my saddlebag with the few things I need to take back to Dodge, together with some supplies for the trail. Edgar gives me a small brown bottle containing a liquid,

"Here take this with you in case those ribs get to hurting." he says.

"I'd still advise you to wait a few more days before you travel, but I understand your need to return to Dodge. Just take it easy"

"Thanks Edgar, I appreciate everything you did, and good luck in getting your house finished."

It's not easy getting mounted, but I manage and we head off, out of town towards Dodge.

The first day's travel goes well. We ride for about six hours, resting twice along the way, before making camp for the night.

Next morning we don't hurry, it's only about another five hours ride into Dodge.

We have been going for a little over three hours when we stopped to eat and give the horses a rest. We resumed our journey and after another hour or so, the landscape was becoming familiar. There was a curve in the road ahead and a small rocky outcrop rising up to the right. I'm thinking that if I had been concentrating a little more I would have noticed something.

Kilburn is a little ahead of me, for a second or two the bend in the road separates us. I hear voices. Instinctively looking up into the bluff of rocks ahead, I see a man with a rifle. I need to get off my horse before he sees me, and work my way up the hillside to find out what's going on. Not easy in my condition, but not much alternative.

I slide down the off side of my horse, the buckskin should be getting used to this by now. I try to put most of my weight on my right leg as I grab the rifle and then hit the horse's rump to urge him forward along the trail. Who ever these people are they must have noticed there were two riders, and the horse may cause a little distraction. I manage to work my way up into the rocks until I can look down on the scene below. There is one man on horseback in the road. He's holding a gun on Kilburn and talking to him, I cannot hear any words from this distance. The man with the rifle is a little higher up the hill. It seems like he hasn't seen me yet. I need to get him out of the way, but I can't just shoot him until I know what's going on. I don't see anyone else around. The man in the road looks vaguely familiar. I have seen him before, but not like this. I watch him make Kilburn drop his gun and get off of his horse. This is not going well. Just then my horse comes into their view. The man in the rocks raises his rifle. "I've got him boss," he calls out, and then he notices that the horse is riderless. He starts looking around. I can't wait any longer.

"Hold it mister!" The man looks around for the source of the voice. He swings his rifle towards me. I aim the Henry, and fire. He falls forward. Hopefully I have just wounded him, but at this distance it's impossible to say.

I call out to the man below. "This is Matt Dillon, US Marshal, drop your gun and put your hands up."

The moment's distraction is enough for Kilburn. He launches himself at the man and takes his gun.

"Thanks Matt," he calls out.

I need to climb the hill a little more to check on the man I shot. It is not easy but using the rocks to steady myhself I manage. I find him with a gun in his hand. "Drop it or I'll shoot," I yell. He fires, but I am faster. I think this time he is dead.

"You okay Matt," calls Kilburn

"I'm fine, but I may need your help."

I try to move a little so I can see what's happening below. Now that the adrenaline of the fight has worn down, I am aware of the pain in my ribs and the weakness in my leg. However with a little more effort I can see the two men on the trail.

Kilburn is retrieving the rope from the saddle on my Buckskin. He searches the man then ties him up binding his hands behind his back.

"You stay there," I hear him tell the man. He has him sitting on the ground, far enough from a patch of brush that he is not likely to be quick enough to make a break for cover.

"Can you see him Matt?"

"I can. If he moves I'll fire."

I hear Kilburn climbing up the rocks. "Go check on that man up there." I indicate where I think the man had fallen.

A short silence, then, "He's dead. You got him good."

I don't say anything. I don't like killing, even in the course of justice. I hear him coming back down the rocks.

"Looks like you've opened up that wound."

I look down and see the spreading red stain on my left leg

"Can't be helped now. We are not that far from Dodge anyway."

Using his shoulder and some of the rocks for support I make it down the hill and find a rock where I can sit near our prisoner. When I get a better look at him, I know who he is.

"Mr. Juno Burr," I say, "what are you doing out here?"

"What happened to my partner up on the hill?"

"He's dead."

The last time I saw this man was on the stage I had driven into Dodge. He was dressed a little differently at that time.

"Where are your city clothes?" I ask him.

He laughs at me, "I left them back in Dodge. I wanted to get this man here. I heard you two were headed this way."

"Suppose you tell me what's going on."

"Dan, go see if you can find his horse, and round ours up before they wander off."

"Now it's just you and me Burr. I am not in a mood to mess around. I want to get into Dodge before dark and I'm going to take you in with me. You can either ride sitting on that horse, or lying across it. I really don't mind which."

I get my gun from the holster and start to point it at him.

"I don't have a lot of patience, and there's just you and me."

"You wouldn't Marshal."

"You want to take that risk?"

"But my hands are tied."

"You think I couldn't untie them after I kill you? I could always say you got loose. No one is here to contradict my story."

I am hoping he does not know me too well.

"What were you doing on that stage?"

"I was checking up on some people who work for me."

"Last time I saw you, you had two ladies with you, your wife and your sister I think you said."

"Oh they were just passengers on the stage. I told them to let me say that to protect them when we got held up."

"You knew that hold up was coming didn't you. You might as well tell me, I know a lot of the story already."

"Yes I did."

"You are the man pushing that clerk in Washington to pass on information about gold shipments. The Marshals there talked to him, you know." I am just guessing but think I am close to the truth.

"He doesn't know who I am," the man objects.

I'm hoping Kilburn has the sense to be listening in on this conversation.

"You are supposed to get a cut of the proceeds from the robberies, right?"

He doesn't answer me.

"Come on, Burr, I already know most of this. My leg hurts and my patience is running thin." I raise my gun again; I fire aiming at the ground beside him.

He flinches. "Yes Marshal, he shouts. Are you crazy?"

"Pain does strange things to a man," I tell him. "So why were you on that stage?"

"Dorsey had been telling me that there was no gold on several of the hold ups we'd planned. I didn't believe him."

"Your cut was in exchange for the inside information, right?"

He nods.

"Say it."

"Yes."

"Come on out Dan, I call. I hope you heard all that."

He comes over to where I am sitting. He speaks quietly,

"I'm not sure that confession would stand up in court, Matt, but it's worth a try. Maybe the Marshals in Washington can find evidence now that I can tell them where to look. This man's banking activities would be a good place to start."

Kilburn uses some rocks to cover the dead man, and ties our prisoner's hands so he can ride.

He helps me onto my horse, and ponies Burr's horse behind his. We set off for Dodge.

"You saved my life back there, Matt," he says.

"Then I guess we are even."

I say nothing for a while.

"Did he say anything about why he stopped you?"

"He said he knew I had been after him for a long time, and how I had really messed up his plans by getting rid of Dorsey and his gang, so he was going to make sure I couldn't do it again. That's when you fired the rifle."

We ride in silence for a while.

We are now less than an hour from Dodge. I'm feeling a little light headed and am having trouble staying upright in the saddle.

"Tell you what Dan. Why don't you go ahead with Burr? Take him to Chester at the jail. I don't think I can ride a lot further. Chester can bring a wagon back to get me."

"Matt I'm not leaving you out here." He stops and gets off his horse, handing me the rein from Burr's mount.

"Your leg's bleeding pretty bad, let me tie it." He uses a leather thong from my saddle. Then he wraps one of the reins from my horse around the saddle horn and takes the other himself. Picking up the line from Burr's horse, he checks the prisoner and mounts his own.

"Now all you have to do is stay up there."

Now he is ponying two horses. Fortunately they are also tired and do not object.

Burr says nothing.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Chester is just crossing the street to Delmonicos when the three of them ride into town.

"Mr. Dillon" he calls out, seeing his boss half sitting, half lying on his horse.

"I'm okay Chester," Matt manages to sit a little straighter on the buckskin.

Kilburn jumps down and hands Chester the rifle from the Marshal's saddle.

"Please take this man and lock him up, I'll explain later." He hands Chester the reins to Burr's horse.

"What about Mr. Dillon?"

"I'll take him down to the Doctor's office."

He leads both horses further down Front Street. He had seen the Doctor's shingle at the bottom of some steps somewhere down this way. Eventually he finds it and leads the horses to the hitching rail.

"Come on Matt, let's get you up there so the doctor can fix that leg."

Doc hears the commotion as the two men negotiate the steps and goes to the door to see what's happening.

"By thunder! What in tarnation is going on? Matt? I thought you were still in Wichita. Come on," he signals to Kilburn, "bring him in here. Let's get him on the table."

"What's your name Mister?"

"Dan Kilburn, Sir."

"Huh! Well most people call me Doc. Suppose you tell me what happened."

All the time he is talking Doc is checking on Matt. He picks up some surgical scissors and cuts the blood soaked fabric so he can get a good look at the wound.

"We were on our way back to Dodge. We had been doing just fine. We'd stopped overnight so as not to tire the Marshal too much. We'd ridden for about four hours today and were about twenty miles or so from here, when we were ambushed. There's a place where the road makes a sharp bend around an outcrop of rock."

"I know the place."

"One man pulled out in front of me, there was another hidden up in the rocks."

"I can guess. Our Marshal here had to climb up in there to go get him, right?"

"Yes sir. I don't think I would be here if he hadn't."

Doc walks over to the medicine cabinet and pours a dose of pain killer for Matt.

"Here take this so I can that fix that leg. Don't argue now."

Dillon sees that Doc is no mood to negotiate, so he obediently swallows the contents of the glass.

Doc gathers the instruments he is going to need to clean and repair the Marshal's leg.

"Doctor Adams if you don't need me any more, there's a couple of horses down there I need to take care of."

"I'm fine, just go ahead."

Kilburn is quite thankful to leave. He does not understand what has made the Doctor so disgruntled.

The elderly physician turns his attention back to Matt.

"I can't believe Dr. Wilkins let you leave so soon."

"I don't think he wanted me to but I had to get back here. Those railway crews are coming into town and I didn't want to leave Chester here alone to handle things."

"Well you're not going to be up to doing much Marshaling for a while anyway. When are you going to learn that you can't keep doing this to yourself."

The Marshal doesn't answer. The drug has taken effect.

It takes the doctor an hour to repair the damage to the opened wound. He has just about finished when Kitty and Chester arrive.

"Hi Doc," says Chester, "how's Mr. Dillon doing?"

"Oh he's going to be fine. A few days rest and he'll be ready to go out and try to get himself killed again."

"Doc!" says Kitty, surprised at the doctor's gruff mood. "Did you just lose a patient or something?"

Matt wakes up from the drug-induced sleep he was in. Kitty goes to his side but Doc gets his hat.

"Stay with him Kitty. I'll be back in a while."

They all watch him leave, not knowing what to think

"Did you do something to make him mad Matt?"

"No more than usual. Here help me get up."

"No I don't think you better do anything else to upset him."

"Chester," Matt looks at his assistant. "Go over to the Dodge House. With Burr in jail, we need to get his bags and anything else from his room. I have to prove a connection to that train wreck. Everything needs to be in the office safe so I can look through it later. Oh and if you see Kilburn tell him I need to talk to him."

"Yes Sir, Mr. Dillon."

Chester starts to leave. "Miss Kitty you sure you're going to be alright here alone?"

"Don't worry Chester, I can handle both of them," she says with a half smile. "Go on now."

Chester leaves and Kitty pulls a chair over to sit next to Matt.

"I've never seen Doc like that," she says.

"He'll get over it, whatever it is. Kitty, I have to get out of here. I need to get out to that train wreck before they get it all cleaned up.

"They've been working out there for about three days now Matt, so I'm not sure what you hope to find."

"I don't know either, but I have to go look, and I need to go soon. That's why I need to see Kilburn. I figure he can get us a buggy or wagon and we can drive out there. I need some crutches too. I left the ones Doctor Wilkins leant me back in Wichita. I bet Doc has some somewhere around here, but doubt he'll let me have them if he thinks I'm going out to the wreck."

They talk a while and then hear Doc climbing the stairs.

"You'd better be going now Kitty, no telling what kind of mood Doc's going to be in."

"All right Matt, I'll look in on you tomorrow."

"If I get a chance I'm heading out to look at that wreck, so stay out of Doc's way."

Kitty headed for the door just as Doc came in. At least he didn't seem as angry as he was when he left. Now he was more sullen, chewing on a toothpick, deep in thought.

"I'll see you later Doc. Kitty said to him."

He grunted.

"Doc," says the Marshal, "what's gotten into you?"

"I'm thinking about something."

"You want to tell me about it."

"Maybe I will, but not now."

He comes over to the table and looks at the dressing he put on Matt's leg. It looks fine, no sign of bleeding.

He gets his stethoscope from his bag.

"How are your ribs doing Matt?" he asks

"They hurt a bit, but not too bad."

"I need to check, can you sit up?"

"Sure," Matt manages to swing his legs over the side of the exam table and sits there to oblige the doctor. He has no idea what is on his friend's mind.

"Here let me help you get your shirt off."

The Marshal can only humor him

Doc proceeds to remove the bandage and check the broken ribs. He notes the deep purple bruise. Matt scrunches his face and grunts a couple of times as the doctor feels around his bruised side.

The physician doesn't say much. He puts the stethoscope in his ears and listens. It takes him a long time. Eventually he goes to get a new bandage and applies it to Matt's chest, pulling it tight causing his patient to flinch a few times.

"Well Doc, what's going on?" Matt asks when the doctor has finished.

"Your ribs are going to heal eventually, but they're going to be pretty sore for a good while. Your leg will be fine too, if you give it time to heal, but I'm not sure I'll be able to fix it if you tear it open again."

"That's not what I mean Doc, something's eating at you, why don't you tell me what it is. I can understand you are mad at me, but I think there is more to it than that."

"Yes there is, but I'm not ready to talk about it."

He turns to look at Matt with a steady stare. The Marshal decides to back off.

"Doc I really need to go out and look at that wreck site."

"Well you're not going tonight."

"Tomorrow then, I'll get Chester or Kilburn to drive me out there in a buggy."

"I'm going to keep you here tonight to see that you don't get a fever. If you are okay in the morning I'll think about it."

Doc locks the outer office door, retires to his own room and closes that door firmly behind him.

Matt is puzzled, he's never seen Doc like this before. Sure he's been a little moody at times especially if he loses a patient that he thought he should have saved, but nothing like this.

Matt is restless throughout the night. His ribs hurt and he cannot get comfortable. He misses having Kitty there beside him.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Eventually first light starts to brighten the sky outside and some of it makes its way into the Doctor's office. He hears Doc stirring in the other room. He decides it is best to say as little as possible, not to agitate the older man any more than necessary.

After a while the door opens and the elderly Physician is standing there looking at him.

"I'm sorry Matt," he says. "I will explain it all to you later. It's nothing you did. I should not have taken it out on you like I did."

"It's all right Doc, we all have rough days."

"I bet you didn't sleep too good either, I should have given you something."

"Don't worry, I probably wouldn't have taken it anyway."

Doc comes over and checks his pulse, listens to his chest and checks the dressing on his leg.

"You look as if you're going to make it."

He goes to a small closet at the back of the office and comes back with a set of crutches.

"I think we can adjust these to fit you. I'll let you go out there today, no climbing around on rocks or train wrecks, and prop that leg up as much as you can. Come back up here this evening and we'll have a talk."

"I'll do all that."

Someone is knocking at the office door. Doc goes over and unlocks it. Kilburn is standing there.

He and the Doctor acknowledge each other.

"Matt," he says looking tentatively, at the physician. "Miss Kitty told me you needed to ride out to the wreck. I've er.. got a buggy downstairs." He looks again at the doctor.

"It's alright I don't bite." At least Doc sounds more like himself this morning.

"Go on Matt, just remember what I told you."

Matt takes the crutches. He had become quite proficient with them back in Wichita. With help from Kilburn they make it to the buggy.

"Where you want to go first."

"Let's stop by the jail, go get some breakfast, then we'll head out to the wreck."

"Was Doctor Adams that mad at you?"

"No I think he has something else on his mind and I just happened to get in the line of fire."

They stop at the jail. Matt wants to look and see what Chester found in Burr's hotel room.

Chester is already there and has the coffee pot on.

"Hi Mr. Dillon. So Doc let you out?"

"Yes I think he's a bit happier this morning."

Dillon looks over to make sure the door to the cells is closed.

"We came to see what you found in Burr's room."

"Not much, just this old carpet bag and a change of clothes."

Dillon opens the bag, amongst other things there are two disc shaped objects and a short length of what looks like wire. He picks the objects up and studies them.

"I know what this is," he says. "These are blasting caps and a length of fuse for igniting dynamite."

Kilburn studies the objects. Dynamite was a relatively new form of explosive, but both men knew it could easily have been used to destroy part of the track to derail the train.

"C'mon says Matt we have to get out there and look at that wreck site before those workers get the whole thing repaired."

"Chester, take care of the prisoner, don't let him know what we've found. We'll be back in a few hours."

Matt and Dan Kilburn head out the door and get back in the buggy.

"We'll eat when we get back, right now let's get out there as fast as we can."

It will take at least an hour to make the trip. The Marshal decides to question Kilburn a little more. He thinks he must have known about their prisoner back in Dodge before they even found Kyle Dorsey. He wants to know the whole story.

"Tell me Kilburn, you knew about Burr before he showed up on the trail, didn't you?"

"In a way. We had figured that there was someone out there feeding information to Dorsey, but had no idea who it was. We knew it was someone clever enough to work behind the scenes. jThis man had worked his way into many shipping and trading companies, especially those handling valuable merchandise needing to be moved from place to place. He had done this himself or sometimes blackmailed or bribed lowly or disgruntled employees. He found out when they planned to move their merchandise from one location to another, then got one of the several gangs – Dorsey's was one of about four that we know of – to ambush the shipment. He always got a percentage of the heist, which could be considerable. But then he got even cleverer. He worked his way to the big bosses of the company. Told them he could keep their shipments safe – for a fee of course. That fee went directly to him. He slowly and quietly amassed a small fortune. No one as yet knows how he planned to use it, but you can bet he had some plan in mind."

"Why did he want to kill you?"

"He knew I had been after him for a while and thought I was getting close enough to identifying him."

The workers at the site had made good progress. Using various combinations of block, tackle and heavy chain, together with a large traction engine, they had managed to get the two rail cars off of the track and set upright. Fortunately they hadn't started on the track itself yet. As the two men got nearer, the noisy rhythmic chugging of the traction engine and the smoke it produced took over the area. Kilburn decided to stop the buggy a way back from the noise so as not to disturb the horse that was their only means of getting back to Dodge.

He helped the Marshall down from the buggy and they made their way to the destroyed rail track.

"What are we looking for Matt?" asked Kilburn.

"I don't know, just check all this torn up rail, see if there are any other blasting caps left around, or maybe an unused stick of dynamite, just something we can use to connect Burr to this site. Three people were killed on that train and a fourth died later from his injuries, we need to get evidence to convict him of murder."

The Marshal found it impossible to get down and examine the rail in any detail so he leaves that task to Kilburn. He walks over to a small area of scrub nearby. It would be a good place to secure horses. Sure enough he sees tracks, fairly old, from a group of about four. There are also some footprints but not distinct enough now to identify any boot or shoe. If they tied their animals here, it is possible this is where they set the dynamite into bundles and arranged the blasting caps and fuses. He pokes around between dead leaves and branches. At first he finds nothing, finally a small length of what looks like thin black wire or rope. It is difficult to bend down and pick it up. He knows he has to be careful of his leg. He calls to Kilburn, "You found anything yet?"

"I'm not sure, there are some small pieces of black tape that could have been used to tie the dynamite to the rails."

Dillon keeps searching. Then he finds a blasting cap. It looks the same as the one in Burr's bag.

"Come over here, Dan. Here, pick these things up for me." He points to the two objects he has found. Kilburn retrieves them.

"They certainly look the same as the one's that we found in Burr's bag," he says.

"Unfortunately," replies the Marshal "there are only two or three types, so it may not be enough to convict him."

They look round a little more.

"The tracks are a little old, but it looks like Burr rode in from Dodge and three or maybe four riders met him here. It looks like they came from east of here. I don't think Burr had a horse in Dodge; he came in on the stage. Maybe Moss Grimmick can remember renting him one on the day of the train wreck. That might help with the evidence we have here."

"Anything else we should look for Marshal?"

"We should go through the train cars. You said that they went over the train looking for something. Maybe Burr went on board too. He may have left something behind."

"I don't recall seeing him, I think it was just four of those cowboys."

"Yes I guess he's too smart to have shown his face. I bet he was the one to set the dynamite though. I'll ask Mr. Jonas at the general store if he sold any, not sure that he even stocks it though. Of course he could have brought it with him when he came to Dodge. Come on let's make a trip through those carriages."

They searched the three carriages and the baggage car but didn't find anything of interest.

Kilburn decided it was time to head home. He thought the Marshal looked a little tired.

"So, Matt, what kind of a case do you think we have against Juno Burr?"

"I think between us we have enough evidence to take it to a judge.  
>I don't want to have to come to Wichita again for a trial unless I have to."<p>

"Yes I heard what happened last time you were there."

"I am certainly willing to give a sworn statement before a judge here in Dodge and have it sent to the court."

It takes at least hour in the buggy to get back to Dodge.

"Drop me off at the office if you would. I need to write up a report on what we found today. I'll wire the marshals office in Wichita and see if they can send someone to escort Burr to the jail there. I can send the evidence with them. You will have to go there for the trial."

"I'll enjoy that Matt. I've been tracking this man for a good while now. I really want to see him behind bars."

"We'll also need to get Doc to make out a statement about the people who died in the wreck. I know he did autopsies on them all, so he will have reports to file."

Eventually we arrived at the jail. I find Chester there. He had just brought some lunch to the prisoner. That made me realize I could do with some food.

"How about going over to Delmonicos and getting me some lunch Chester? It's been a while since I ate. I hand him some coins, "get yourself something too."

I ask him to bring another chair to the desk so I can prop my leg up.

I have most of the report written by the time he returns.

I still needed to get the autopsy reports from Doc and include with the evidence we collected.

"Chester we need to wire the Marshal's office in Wichita and have them come and collect our prisoner. Right now I don't feel up to escorting him."

"I could take him on the train for you Mr. Dillon."

I think about that for a while, but Burr has too many connections and there could be problems.

"No let them come and get him." I draft a wire and hand it to him.

"Get that out soon, I'll be at the Long Branch."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

I decided Kitty's rooms would be a lot quieter than the jail, so I make my way down Front Street.

Kitty is helping Clem sort out stock for the evening. Business has been good since the railroad people came to town. Surprisingly they had not caused a lot of trouble.

She looks up as I enter and comes over to where I sit at the back table.

"You look tired cowboy."

"I thought you might find me a quiet place to rest up for an hour or two."

"Sure, I think I can do that. You want a drink first?"

I settle for a beer and then, there being no customers at the bar, she helps me to negotiate the stairs.

"You're hurting some aren't you Matt?" She says helping me remove my boots.

"Yes these ribs are pretty sore. I didn't get much sleep last night either. I think if I just lie here for a while I'll feel better."

"I can get Doc if you want."

"No just leave him be. If you see him let him know I am here. He said he would talk to me later this evening about what's troubling him."

She leaves, quietly closing the door behind her. The room seems empty and dark without her.

I don't remember falling asleep, but I must have done.

Doc is there, checking me over.

He pulls up a chair, and I prop up on the pillows.

"Well Doc what's been going on?"

He rubs his moustache and pulls his ear.

"I don't know how to tell you this Matt, and I don't even know if I should, but these younger guys have different ideas and it got me to thinking."

I listen, having no idea where this is going.

He pauses again.

"You sure you feel like discussing this with me?" I ask

"I need to."

He pauses again and takes a breath; obviously this is hard for him. I wait, giving him time.

"Matt, you remember you had that heart murmur, and we were worried that it might be due to damage caused by the poison. Then Dr. Cooper came to the conclusion that it was from the chest injury you sustained. The murmur gradually subsided, until just a small sound remained. When I checked you before I cleared you to go back to work I could still hear that faint, abnormal sound. It hadn't changed any over at least two weeks. You had no symptoms from it, so I decided to ignore it. There was nothing I could do to fix it anyway. The alternative was to advise you to quit your job. I didn't tell you about it because I knew you were not going to give up being a Marshal."

"What makes you tell me this now?"

"Kevin and Edgar. Kevin heard it, but he didn't say anything to you because he realized that you didn't know. He was surprised I hadn't told you. Pretty much the same with Edgar although he wasn't sure if it was from that new injury you got. He wrote to me. I got his letter a couple of days ago and it set me thinking. What would have happened if you had been in some other town, with some other physician and he had told you about what he heard? Would you think I had let you down somehow? Maybe I should have told you to start with, but I decided it would do nothing to help you. I knew there was no way you would turn in your badge."

I thought for a while before I came to an answer.

"Doc you are my friend, amongst other things, and I trust your judgment implicitly. You've held my life in your hands more times than I like to remember. I don't think that knowing this is going to affect anything one way or another. The only thing I ask is that you don't say anything to Kitty. She worries enough now."  
>"I understand. The other thing is that Kevin said he could arrange for Dr. Cooper to see you again if you wanted."<p>

"No thanks, I don't think that is going to help anything. You are right Doc, I am not willing to give up my badge just yet."

There is silence for a while.

"Is this what's been making you such a bear for the last couple of days? I thought that you were mad at me for getting shot again."

Doc gets up and walks across the room.

"I got mad at you because you cannot keep getting yourself injured like you do. Eventually it will take a toll on you. You'll finish up being permanently crippled in some way, or you'll show up with something I can't fix. I don't want to see that happen, Matt. All the same I should not have taken my problems out on you like I did last night."

"Let's just forget it Doc. I'm just happy to have you back to your ornery old self."

"Yes, well let me see how you are doing."

He gets his stethoscope and listens for a while.

"Well?" Asks Matt

"It hasn't changed, I really don't think it's going to be a problem for you. Those ribs look pretty bad though."

"Yeh, they don't feel so good. Can you loosen that bandage a bit? It's really tight"  
>"I'll see what I can do."<p>

It's about another thirty minutes before the Doctor leaves.

Shortly after he's gone Kitty arrives.

"Doc looked a little happier," she says

"Yes he'll be alright now."

"What was his problem?"

"Not that big really. He made a decision about a patient and then got to worrying that he'd made the wrong one. Guess it just boiled inside him 'til he talked with someone about it. He's over it now."  
>"I figured that when he gave me something to give to you tonight so you can sleep."<p>

"All I need is for you to come and lie next to me Kitty."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Next morning I make my way slowly down the back stairs. I need to go talk to Mr. Jonas at the general store.

"Mr. Jonas, do you ever have anyone wanting to buy dynamite or blasting caps?"

"Let me see, I don't really stock that stuff, but I did have someone asking for it maybe two weeks or so ago."

"Can you remember what he looked like?"

He gives me a fair description of Burr

"Do you think you could recognize him if you saw him again?"

"Probably."

"Did you order what he wanted?"

"No he was in a hurry, I told him he could probably get what he wanted in Garden City. I think he rode out there – or maybe he took the stage."

"Would you come over to the jail, and see if you recognize anyone?"

"Sure thing Marshal. Just give me a minute to lock the door."

Ten minutes later Mr. Jonas tells the Marshal he is sure that Burr is the same man who tried to buy the dynamite and blasting caps.

"Do you know where he would have got them from?"

"Let me see, he thinks a while. There are two hardware stores in Garden City. I think they both stock what he wanted."

"Thanks Mr. Jonas, you've been a big help."

I need to find Kilburn. There is no way I can ride over to Garden City.

I make my way back to the office. These crutches are beginning to annoy me, but I don't need to start my leg bleeding again. Fortunately Chester is there.

"Mornin' Mr. Dillon. I was wondering where you were."

Chester I need you to do two things for me. Go get me some breakfast, and find Kilburn and get him to come to see me."

I give him some money."

"You want anything special for breakfast?" he asks, bringing me a cup of coffee.

"Steak and eggs would be fine."

When Chester is gone on his errands, Matt drags a second chair to the desk and props his leg up. Then he takes a pen and report form and starts to write. He hates all the paper work, but understands how important it can become. He needs to document Mr. Jonas's ability to identify Burr.

Chester returns with breakfast, followed shortly by Dan Kilburn.

Matt finishes eating and then gets Kilburn to come sit out front. He does not want Burr listening.

He tells Kilburn about his conversation with Mr. Jonas, and how he identified the prisoner. He explains that Jonas told the man to go to Garden City to buy his supplies.

"There are two stores in Garden City that stock what he needed."

"Would you be willing to ride over to Garden City and check it out?"

"Sure thing Matt."

"You want Chester to come with you?"

Kilburn thinks a minute, "No, that would leave you without any help. I should be fine."

"You can either take the stage or ride, its about sixty miles."

"I can handle it."

Two days later two Marshals come to escort Burr back to Wichita.

Doc lets Matt get rid of the crutches and Kilburn returns from Garden City having found the store keeper who sold the dynamite to Juno Burr. The blasting caps he stocked were identical to the others they had found.

"Looks like we have a good case Marshal."

Matt agrees. "Come on I'll buy you a drink at the Long Branch."

Several days later Matt gets notification of the trial. He hopes he will not be called to testify. Kilburn was involved from the beginning, and was present for all the major developments. His testimony should be sufficient.

A few days later Kilburn leaves to return to Texas, but he promises to keep the Marshal informed of any developments.

The trial starts two weeks later and lasts a week. Matt gets a telegram from Kilburn, telling him that Burr got convicted on three counts of murder as well as bribery and blackmail, and got sentenced to death.

Sometime later Kilburn comes riding into Dodge. He stops at the Jail.

"It's good to see you," says Matt shaking his hand.

"Thought I'd stop by and let you know I quit Pinkertons and am back with the Rangers. I also wanted to tell you about the rest of the Dorsey Gang. Most of the men we brought in got convicted of armed robbery. They got sentenced to five years in federal Prison. When they get out of there, they will go to Texas to face more charges. All in all, a good outcome. I wanted to stop by and thank you for all your help. I also wanted to tell you that I got that bonus from Pinkertons and the reward for Dorsey. It will really help the widows of my three friends that got killed when we were after those outlaws.

"I'm glad to hear that."

The men walk down the street to the Long Branch. Kitty is happy to see Kilburn. She brings drinks to their table. In a short time Doc and Chester join them for an evening's celebration.

The End.


End file.
